Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
-Margaret Mead
For awhile now, I have been using the open source libgaim-based Adium alongside Defaultware’s shareware Proteus. While both offer connectivity to all the major instant messaging services, it is clear that Adium has won out on my desktop–and not just because it is free. In fact, there are a number of instances where freeware outstripped commercial/shareware offerings and open source has outstripped proprietary systems, and not for ideological reasons–but because the features, functionality and, yes, robustness has proved superior in my book to commercial alternatives. Perhaps this is a microcosm of how the “revolution” will look: a slow, steady progression, desktop by desktop, with programs like Firefox and Audacity leading the snail’s pace “charge”.