Ask Lemmy

You have two choices.

You can work with FOSS software that is sometimes clunky, but will improve over time.

OR

You can work with proprietary software that is openly hostile and will only get worse over time.

100%. I try to use open source wherever possible. If it does have to be closed/proprietary, I will only use software I can own, no subscriptions; and the only if I can get them working in Linux (wine has come SO far).

That said, I do still have a windows partition but only for job related stuff.

I've been daily driving linux for at least 10 years and I think I'm using close to 100% FOSS. Except for the stupid nvidia drivers and my steam games.

Yes, very much so. Everyday; I run a linux system and the majority of the apps on my phone are from f-droid.

I make a pretty decent effort to use FOSS even when there is a much more polished closed source alternative (*ahem* FreeCAD) but for some things there really isn't a choice.

You can't VRChat without the official client, for example.

We’re really asking this question on Lemmy? What kind of answers do you expect to get here?

I prefer that it is easy to use, and that it is stable. I don’t care if it’s open source or closed source. I’ll pay either way. Tips or donations or just straight pay for it.

a side note for those that do free open source and want donations or tips, … make it easy to donate. I ran into one piece of software that said please donate. I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how. I gave up. And just use the software for free.

As a recovering Apple user, I kinda straddle the two worlds. I'm still in a place where I like software to look tidy, with a decent GUI and workflows that make sense. With the best will in the world, a good amount of FOSS misses the mark on some of that.

But the more I use Linux, the more FOSS I use, and get used to.

I prefer FOSS because it focuses on creating something good instead of something that focuses on extracting as much money possible.

Hmm, tough call. Generally speaking I guess I'd prefer freedom over eternally paying rent to the tech oligarchs but then I'd miss out on the benefits of Microsoft's latest adjustments to the Windows 11 start menu.

Absolutely. Linux on the desktop, f-droid on my Android phone. The fact if something irritates me enough I can download the code and fix it.

I'm lucky I have a job working with FLOSS software. I don't think I could go back to hacking on propriety code.

Anything that I want to last for a long time. Most proprietary software has only a few years worth of shelf life, before it either turns to shit or ceases to exist. And I most prefer foss for applications where I generate the data and want complete control over it, such as notes, images etc, both for security and privacy along with longevity and full control

Exclusively Linux desktop since 2003

Rebooted a total of 3 times

(Ok second one is hyperbole)

A lot of the time, FOSS is the only way to get what I want done because there is nothing else.

All day every day. I'm a linux user both at home and at work. The only closed source software I use is Bitwig, steam, and (most of) the games I play.

When I need software that does X, and I have multiple alternatives, my order of preference for exploring goes like this:

1. Anything that can be installed via apt-get
2. Same as above, but with added repos
3. Something found on github with a release ready for download
4. Same as above, but I build it myself
5. Closed source
6. Paid closed source

(Notice how snap isn't in the list?)

Of course, quality of the software matters, which means the list isn't 100% accurate in all cases. Bitwig is paid closed source, but I prefer that over Ardour, and it's IMHO miles better.

ive been dailying Linux since august 2024 and plan to set up a jellyfin server and start collecting DVDs and CDs so I can own my media (plan is to rip them and stream through Jellyfin, pretty easy to do). on my computer the only proprietary things I use are steam, discord (vesktop), and Spotify. on my phone I have F-Droid but only really use HeliBoard.

i also want to set up a nas and try self-hosting email but it'll probably be a couple years before I have the space or money to start working at any of that.

100%

Yes, I prefer FOSS. The degree to which proprietary software actively works against the users' interests has increased significantly over the past couple decades, as has the tendency for anything successful to get enshittified. I'm not a hardcore ideologue about it, but if a FOSS option does what I need, and it usually does, then that's what I use.

Some important software on my laptop:

• Arch Linux
• KDE
• Firefox
• Darktable
• Emacs
• Betterbird
• Joplin
• Syncthing
• VLC
• Bitwarden

All FOSS. I play a few games that aren't, and a lot of things I access through the browser aren't. I have a Windows 11 install I used to boot somewhat frequently for games, but don't since I discovered Lutris takes the fuss out of running most games on Linux.

And on my phone (italics indicate not FOSS):

• LineageOS
• Waterfox
• Thunderbird
• Signal
• WhatsApp
• AntennaPod
• Waze
• Google Maps
• Joplin
• KOReader
• Syncthing-fork
• VLC
• Connect for Lemmy
• Bitwarden

I have FOSS fallbacks for the things that aren't aside from a couple group chats in WhatsApp. One of those is toying with moving to Signal, but collective action problems are hard.

FOSS is boss. Working to get to be as close to 100% as I can.

Yeah if there's an equivalent.

As much as possible, I don't use proprietary software. I bought a Pixel phone specifically so that I could run GrapheneOS (which has been great), and the only non-FOSS stuff I use is basically web tools for communication, like Slack/Discord/etc. As much as web-as-a-platform sucks (and it has many shortcomings), at least things tend to just work now on Linux, one way or another.

i generally prefer foss - i use arch (btw), all my phone apps aside from a few that dont get internet access anyway, i avoid stuff by big companies for themost part - but i understandit isnt practical to have everything be foss. if i didnt have access to whatsapp, i couldnt message my gf, any of my friends or family, so with things like that, i compromise - in this case, using a matrix bridge. also, if something is closed source but probably fine, ill allow it, but foss is my preference. im very passionate about it :3

it gets a bit rough with things like youtube, i love newpipe and freetube but girl google makes it such a pain with the constant IP blocks qwq

FOSS

And as I've gotten older and more financially stable, I've been donating to software I use.

So it's not the free aspect alone that appeals to me, it's the lack of ads!!!! Lack of data mining and honestly in most cases the FOSS version is less bm9stred>and actually addresses the issues the real app has.

Almost exclusively on my desktop and has been for about 20 years, it's my computer and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Not so on my phone exactly though but I use my phone as little as possible.

This might be a hard pill for a lot of people on here to swallow, but for the average user open source is not a feature. Free is, but the user experience is often worse than for closed source software, so it's a hard sell even at free sometimes.

I'm always very happy to find Foss apps that defy that stereotype, but they're far and few between from my experience.

Not trying to shit on Foss apps with this, but I see way too many people acting like the open source aspect is a selling point in and of itself, and it's not except for to the most techy of users.

Most of my personal Software use is FOSS, with the notable exception of YouTube. I use a FOSS frontend for it (Tubular and Smarttube), but rely on their propriatary server.

Seldom I also use WhatsApp but also with a FOSS frontend (Element) for it.

Oh one more WeChat for my wife's family, and couldn't get the bridge to Element working.

Otherwise some non free JavaScript which is running on websites I visit.

Yeah, I much more prefer free, libre, open source software. Even just the gut feeling is much better for me 😊

I prefer FOSS over Proprietary software for my personal life. I look for FOSS alternatives first and only if it is extremely unsuitable or missing crucial features I'll go for the non-FOSS versions.

For work, since other people are paying me to use proprietary software, I will use whatever. In a professional capacity I am publicly searchable anyway.

Yes, and the only proprietary software I use are pretty much video games, maybe some firmware blobs, and probably browser DRM.

When I was still working, I paid for Adobe and Corel Draw. But, since I retired, I don't need to use them every day like I used to. So, I switched to FOSS versions.

I've donated to Blender, GIMP, LibreOffice, and Inkscape, because those are the ones I use the most. But, even at that, I only use them maybe three times a month just for personal stuff now, so I don't do recurring donations.

I'm grateful that FOSS options exist, especially Linux. Microsoft has gone off the deep end with Win11, and I didn't want to downgrade from Win10, so now I'm on Linux Mint. Works just fine for me, no complaints. Well, one small complaint, I miss the big file preview in Windows file explorer. Also, I'll admit that I run Win10 IOT in a virtual machine when I want to run some small app that doesn't work in WINE, there are only a couple of those.

To say anything other than FOSS on Lemmy is like self immolation.

That said, I'm mixed, always have been. I use what works for me. Generally, now, I will look for FOSS first, resort to paid if necessary. I use and contribute to FOSS but there are certain paid, closed, things that just work better for me. The paying part is a little hit or miss, but there are absolutely a couple of pieces of software that I paid for to get support, or features locked out of the free version. And I don't regret it because I use those features regularly, and I am happy to fund the free version for users who can't afford it - especially since I used the free version for years myself and loved it.

There's a major piece of FOSS that I avoid. It ends up taking over my life trying to get things to work properly and I hate it. It makes me physically uncomfortable thinking about it, and it makes me an outcast here on Lemmy. And I may have to use it again soon and I'm dreading it.

I do my best to only use foss. I prefer it in every way.

i will honestly take a little comfort hit to use FOSS over proprietary because i do want most tech companies to die and go to hell but u know… sometimes u gotta go proprietary and some companies are better than others

I still use a mixture of both. I am not actually opposed to proprietary software, as long as it comes from small, employee-owned companies. Whatever the business model, people deserve to be paid for their effort if they are delivering something useful. I also donate to FOSS projects that I use.

I have been steadily moving away from corporate software for several years. There are still a few specialty apps I need, but I have very little of it left.

All else being equal I prefer foss software over proprietary. But I use the best tool for the job. If it’s proprietary then so be it.

I have self-respect and care about my property rights, so software being proprietary is a deal-breaker for me except in very limited circumstances.