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RMS Says "Software As a Service" Is Non-free
BillyG noted an RMS interview where he says "'Software as a service' means that you think of a particular server as doing your computing for you. If that's what the server does, you must not use it! If you do your computing on someone else's server, you hand over control of your computing to whoever controls the server. It is like running binary-only software, only worse: it's even harder for you to patch the program that's running on someone else's server than it is to patch a binary copy of a program running on your own computer. Just like non-free software, 'software as a service' is incompatible with your freedom."
Try and stop me, Emperor Neckbeard.
Seems uncannily like this story from a month ago: Richard Stallman Warns About Non-Free Web Apps
Newsflash! RMS has the same opinion he had a month ago!
I should be running my own instance of /. at http://localhost/ ? Then I could patch /. to not have "idle" and editors I don't like. RMS, you're a lifesaver!
Can't you imagine all of the web based applications converted to work on a single computer...
Twitter - A single text entry box with a 126 character limit that appends to the text already displayed.
Facebook - An html file on your desktop that links to your media folder.
Google - Grep from a bash shell.
WoW - A virtual landscape with no other players, just lots of rats (this already applies to 2nd life).
StumbleUpon - A file browser.
Wikipedia - Man pages.
Where do I sign up?
The problem is when you crack open your daily life and look at computing services you can't crack open and look at.
I really need to proofread, but instead, I rely on Firefox's little red lines. Maybe Stallman has something right....
import system.cool.Sig;
"'Sewer as a service' means that you think of a particular sewer as doing your poop disposal for you. If that's what the sewer does, you must not use it! If you do your pooping on someone else's sewer, you hand over control of your poop to whoever controls the sewer. It is like using truck-stop toilet paper, only worse: it's even harder for you to wipe an ass that's sitting on someone else's toilet than it is to wipe an ass sitting on your own bog. Just like dye-free Charmin, 'sewer as a service' is incompatible with your bowel freedom."
Blog,Twitter
When did you last check? 1992?
Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
altslashdot.org: The future of slashdot.
Why does this sound like a really bad Infocom game?
That is, he believes every computer user is enough of a hacker to compile and run all the software they will ever need.
Yes! I mean, what the fuck is he thinking?! I'm not a damned hacker who can type a document in OpenOffice and save it to - of ALL PLACES - my LOCAL machine!
This man should have a haircut and shave mandated by law enforcement!
Talk about fallacies...
Send your spendthrift head of state this
It is pitch black. You are likely to be raped by a Gnu.
Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?