Right, I think the point is that quality and freedom are not correlated. Regardless of the code quality, the user needs to have the ability to fix bugs, write

Right, I think the point is that quality and freedom are not correlated. Regardless of the code quality, the user needs to have the ability to fix bugs, write extensions, and distribute them whether or not the original author is around or cares about the software anymore. So it kind of hearkens back to the day when computer users were also competent programmers. I think the modern day analogy to proprietary software would be someone sending you a locked excel sheet with a license that says 'you may not change, copy or distribute this excel sheet,' and then having glaring error in the spreadsheet. You see the error and want to fix it but are obligated not to because of some silly rules. Instead you have to email the idiot who wrote the broken excel sheet, and have him fix it. (And wait for him to reply, which he may or may not do). This resonates with me because I hate wasting my time on extra steps. I should be able to email the guy 'Hey, i fixed a bug, look at this' and be done with it. Granted, the majority of computer users now are not of this personality type, and even if they are, wouldn't have the expertise or experience. For FSF to really win, we would at least need a much higher level of computer education in the general population. (IMO 90% of people are functionally illiterate, with regard to computing).