Richard Stallman Warns About Non-Free Web Apps

An anonymous reader writes "Richard Stallman has published an article which warns about the 'Javascript trap' posed by non-free AJAX-based applications. The article calls for a mechanism which would enable browsers to identify freely-licensed Javascript applications and run modified version thereof. 'It is possible to release a Javascript program as free software,' Stallman writes. 'But even if the program's source is available, there is no easy way to run your modified version instead of the original ... The effect is comparable to tivoization, although not quite so hard to overcome.'"

Comments

What's in a name?

[sbalneav]

From TFA:

"Javascript (officially called ECMAscript, but few use that name)..."

Linux (officially called GNU/Linux, but few use that name)..."

Practice what we preach, Hmmmmm?

Re:What's in a name?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Richard Stallman (officially called Dick, but few use that name)..."

Implementation

[MillionthMonkey]

But what's the solution? This is the real question.

Just put a checkbox in the Firefox preferences window somewhere. I suggest this wording:

(x) Warn me before running JavaScript written by capitalist pigs

Re:What about the server side?

[Zero__Kelvin]

"That's RMS' fault.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_Who_Cried_Wolf"

It turns out that if a boy cries wolf, and one is really there, it will run in fear and not be there when the villagers arrive. The villagers have only the boy to thank, but instead they ostracize him and call him a nut. Hey, come to think of it, there is a striking parallel here ...

Re:whoosh

[mrsteveman1]

His beard looks non-free to me, it's obfuscating his face

Re:OK, dumb question after reading the article

[lennier]

"... vegans are rabbit food people."

Fixed that for you.