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Richard Stallman: 'Apple Has Tightest Digital Handcuffs In History'
jrepin points out a discussion with Richard Stallman in which he talks about how the Free Software movement is faring in light of companies that have been successful in the long term with very different principles, like Microsoft and Apple. Stallman had this to say:
"I would say the free software movement has gone about half the distance it has to travel. We managed to make a mass community but we still have a long way to go to liberate computer users. Those companies are very powerful. They are cleverly finding new ways to take control over users. ... The most widely used non-free programs have malicious features – and I’m talking about specific, known malicious features. ... There are three kinds: those that spy on the user, those that restrict the user, and back doors. Windows has all three. Microsoft can install software changes without asking permission. Flash Player has malicious features, as do most mobile phones. Digital handcuffs are the most common malicious features. They restrict what you can do with the data in your own computer. Apple certainly has the digital handcuffs that are the tightest in history. The i-things, well, people found two spy features and Apple says it removed them and there might be more. When people don’t know about this issue they choose based on immediate convenience and nothing else. And therefore they can be herded into giving up their freedom by a combination of convenient features, pressure from institutions and the network effect."
...seems pretty appropriate, given what this guy is like...
I get the impression he hates on Apple because it's popular to hate on them in particular - but they aren't doing MORE than what everyone else in the industry is doing. That's not excusing it, of course - but the real problem with the "Just run Linux" solution is that non-Computer Science people want to do things like answer e-mail, write correspondence, and buy software from the store that has a nice, easy installer. We geeks don't have trouble with the idea of tinkering under the hood when we don't like something - but I am driven to drinking when I think of my grandmother or father trying to use OSS for anything useful when they hit their first problem.
Freedom is nice, but when it involves having to become a computer engineer to exercise it - most people will take the padded handcuffs. Just the way most 'mundanes' are, sad to say. Since I am not drinking the Apple hate-eraid, I imagine I will be modded into oblivion.
This man's views are totally ridiculous. "Digital handcuffs"? You might as well argue that because you can't install Linux on your Craftsman screwdriver it's taking away your freedom.
Stallman, here's a hint: it's phone. A phone. You may pick it up and put it down at your leisure. It's not taking away your freedom. More importantly, the restrictions the manufacturers put in place help make it stable and reliable. Nobody should have to understand the technology to make use of it.
Go get laid.