The author argues that the community around a software project is more important than its license in determining its ethical values. While strong copyleft licenses signal a commitment to software freedom, they are not a guarantee. Copyright law itself is described as a system that upholds corporate hegemony, and using copyleft within it is seen as unsustainable.
The focus should shift to evaluating a project's community: its code of conduct, stance on generative AI, corporate control, contributor agreements, and platform choices. The author encourages joining and contributing to free software communities in any capacity—coding, documentation, or advocacy—to shape ethical outcomes. Creating new projects or cooperatives, like The Starlight Network and Polyphony, is also promoted as a way to build ethical software ecosystems.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing