While there exists subtle differences in philosophy between the Free Software Foundation and the Open Source Initiative, for practical purposes we will use the terms "free" and "open source" interchangeably. The important thing to remember is ``Free software'' is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of ``free'' as in ``free speech,'' not as in ``free beer.'' This freedom includes the ability to access, modify, and redistribute the source code.

This is in stark contrast to proprietary software which is closed in nature, and distributed with restrictive licenses which not only limit these freedoms, but in some cases also attempt to dictate how YOUR computer can be used, what other software can be installed, and gives the company the right to access and audit your computer on demand!

Our goal is to introduce excellent and cost effective alternative solutions for your business and computing needs with the realization that most people are not interested in the technology for technology's sake, but the end result.

We are not opposed to proprietary software:

• IF there is value added
• IF it's the best tool for the job
• IF the benefits and functionality justify the cost
• IF is complies with open standards for your resulting data

We wish to avoid proprietary software that:

• has a suitable free alternative, often significantly cheaper or even free of charge!
• requires the purchase of other proprietary software or mandates a proprietary operating system
• stores YOUR data in a proprietary format, thereby locking you into ongoing licensing fees and upgrades in order to continue accessing YOUR data.

An unavoidable example of this is Microsoft Office. While Microsoft Office is an excellent suite of productivity tools, it is expensive, requires the user to purchase a Microsoft Windows operating system (also expensive), and stores your data in a proprietary format, thereby locking you into continued upgrades and licensing fees. This isn't "freedom to innovate," it's bondage! It limits your freedom to choose the applications with which to access your data.

IF MS Office output your data to open formats, we would have no objection as the MS Windows/MS Office combination would be forced to compete on its own merits. Better yet, if Microsoft Office functioned independently of the operating system, i.e. on Unix, Linux, etc., it might well be our preferred choice as the quality and functionality MIGHT justify the price without all the chains attached!

It should be noted that while we always prefer free software/open source software, many proprietary software companies have no vested interest in the operating system and are merely going after the market. They are developing software for the massive installed base of the MS Windows operating system. We would love to see these companies make their offerings available on the Linux platform. Competition promotes excellence!