you can enjoy someone's work without condoning their lifestyle... grow up.
I believe an important part of growing up is taking the bigger picture into account, and deciding who and what we support based on more than just our immediate personal result.
Just because he thinks different than you doesn't make his books any less enjoyable.
Personally, for me it does. I never got around to checking out Card's workt though it's often been recommended to me by those who know my tastes, but if one of his books were put in my hand now I'd see the name of a man who has seen fit to loudly classify many of my family and friends as second-class citizens.
My money and time is best spent elsewhere.
How would making your product open-source versus going the traditional patent route increase your sales? I understand that it helps to improve the product, but wouldn't this also allow other companies to sell the improved product as well?
A) He's not looking to increase sales. As has been noted here and elsewhere, Mitch doesn't do what he does to get rich. He works to support his activism pursuits, of which making people question their dependence on television is one.
2) He's using Creative Commons, which offers distinct licenses for free non-commercial use, hacking, and improvement vs. commercial use. I imagine he'll go that route in order to keep things free yet avoid commercial knockoffs.
You will have many recoverable tape errors.