Hello,

You wrote to the LWN:
> In our community, cooperation is voluntary -- we don't force anyone to    
> write or share software.  Under socialism, if you do not choose to         
> "cooperate", you will be oppressed, imprisoned, and quite possibly          
> killed.                                                                      
I felt this required a response!

That may be the limited view of socialism that is prevalent in the
USA. It is probably as limited as the view (promoted in communist
countries about capitalism):

 In our community, you are free to work in the way you want---we don't
 force anyone to work for low wages in order to survive. Under
 capitalism, if you choose not work for a robber baron, you will be
 broke, hungry, homeless and in case of ill-health you will be left
 to die.

Both the view expressed by you and the above are extreme positions.
One could easily give examples to justify these views in *both*
cases---this does not make them universally true.

Fortunately, there exist people who take neither extreme view of either
system and try to do their best under whichever political system happens
to be the fashion with the political class.

Regards,

Kapil.