[ Thanks to Amber
Graner for this link. ]
“Linux Pro Magazine: How and when did you get involved
with open source? What was your first Linux distribution? If it
wasn’t Fedora when did you begin using Fedora, and why?“Larry Cafiero: You may want to grab a cup of coffee because
these three questions require somewhat long answers.“As for how and when: I was the Green Party’s candidate for
Insurance Commissioner in California in 2006. During the campaign,
I was faced with spending a lot of money on software, and the
Greens don’t take corporate donations, so I was at a disadvantage
there. I bemoaned the fact that I was going to have to spend a
couple of thousand dollars on Adobe products — Photoshop,
Illustrator, etc. — to Cameron Spitzer, who is the Greens’ IT guy
in California and the man who is responsible for me being a FOSS
advocate, and he said something to the effect of, “You don’t have
to buy anything,” before explaining the philosophy and benefits of
Free/Open Source Software. After the campaign, I kind of took a
larger interest in FOSS and what it has to offer society.”