Kocikowski, Andrzej2010-06-142010-06-142004960-7475--27-5http://hdl.handle.net/10593/447One of the great challenges facing both citizens and governments of the Information Society is the universal use of Free and Open Source Software (FS&OSS). The main purpose of this paper is to substantiate the argument that FS and OSS constitute the only sensible alternative to absurdly commercialized and dangerously monopolized market of proprietary software. The second focus of the paper is to point out to the opportunity that presents itself to the Europeans who are taking up upon themselves the challenge of closing the technological gap between them and the Americans. The author is convinced that promoting FS&OSS should constitute a long-term and complex undertaking that, after being accepted by national governments (not only European, but first and foremost European), will become one of Brussels' leading economic programs; the project of such a program (see the Appendix) with its justification is an integral part of the paper.enFree SoftwareOpen SourceSoftwareInformation SocietyQuality & Security of SoftwareArtykuł