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Free Software Foundation Announces 2013 Holiday Giving Guide
An anonymous reader writes "On Cyber Monday, millions of Americans will take to the Internet in search of the newest gadgets to bestow upon their loved ones. Most of these 'gifts' are trojan horses that will spy on their recipients, prevent them from doing what they want with their device, or maybe even block access to their favorite books or music. The Free Software Foundation is proud to introduce a map through this minefield: our 2013 Giving Guide. The Giving Guide features gifts that will not only make your recipients jump for joy; these gifts will also protect their freedom."
After reading through the list it seems they want me to give my non-techie family a bunch of shit they'll never figure out or have no use for anyway. How cute
Hum, none of the presents I would really like actually.
Isn't there a law against cruel and unusual punishment?
In fact, no ties, nor chains neither. You can be the the owner of those gifts, not being owned by them.
1. trojan horses that will spy on their recipients: Xbox 360, Xbox One, all cellphones, Smart TVs.
2. block access to their favorite books: Kindles, iPads/iPhones.
3. block access to their favorite music: iTunes hasn't used DRM on their music files since April 7, 2009 and as far as I know Amazon sells plain MP3 files so I'm not sure what they're talking about in the case of music.
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
Jump for joy? Sure, if the jump is leading up to them roundhouse-kicking you in the face for buying them a shitty gift.
An anonymous reader, eh? I reckon it's Bennet Haselton.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
From the Lulzbot webpage:
-------------
LulzBot TAZ 2 3D Printer
SKU: 817752014304
$2,395.00
Pre-Order: All current orders are pre-orders. Pre-orders are expected to start shipping before the end of the year (this does not include the Fundable backers, which will start shipping sooner). Expected lead times for shipment are currently 7-8 weeks.
-------------
So not only are they suggesting that people BUY a 3D printer instead of making their own in the true open hardware/open source spirit, they're listing one of the most expensive 3D printer out there and it's not even going to start shipping until after Christmas/early next year.
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
When you can't beat them ... lie.
Why is it half the shit on that list of comparisons is flat out lies or exaggerations beyond acceptable?
Even if you take the GNU fanboy side, its just full of flat out lies.
Pretending Linux some how magically doesn't even need upgrading ... but windows does. ... when it isn't even actually available. ... EXCEPT the biggest part of the iTunes store. (not that there isn't plenty of DRM on there in all the other stuff)
Pretending this 3d printer is open source/libre
Pretending a Mac can't run Linux for some reason, and that somehow Apple laptops are prone to planned obsolescence but magically the Linux laptop isn't because?
Pretending everything on iTunes is DRM'd
Giving the gift of a donation to the FSF? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SMOKING? Thats about the most fucking selfish thing you can 'give'. You aren't even fucking giving anything, just tell the person you don't give a fuck about them, you're more concerned with getting your chance to suck RMS off next year. (its a long line)
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
Many of the comments here seem to insinuate you have to be delusional to enjoy and desire 100% free software. I'd like anything on that gift giving guide. I'm not a paranoid delusional. My paranoia is based on plenty of evidence, and is tempered by practicality. However, that's the tiniest of concern compared to the other benefits offered.
I wouldn't necessarily gift that stuff to folks who wouldn't appreciate it, but I'd recommend the guide to folks looking to allocate resources on my behalf. I also know several young folks that would appreciate the gifts. My niece really loves tinkering with technology, and is always "pestering" me to play with our toy languages, toy OSs and electronics and robotics projects. She wouldn't have known where to begin if it wasn't for the gift of free software.
Having an OS and supporting software that's fully free and open source has been a huge benefit in our learning and teaching endeavors, especially as references to how stuff works. Doesn't anyone remember the joys of discovering how to code? While some kids took apart dad's drill, I took apart my boot sector and had no one to look to for help. I wasn't lucky enough to have a mentor or access to an open source OS -- or even a free & open compiler -- when I was trying to learn how the CS wheels were invented. I was amazed when I discovered I could just use the DTR pin of a serial port (instead of the then incomprehensible to me RS232) to control switch on a model train set. I'd have been ecstatic to have working source code for something like LIRC or blown away by a 3D printer, and I know my niece will love them too. I know for a fact she's get plenty of enjoyment demonstrating to her friends her creations via her own portable OS shaped like a key.
What's best is knowing that unlike on proprietary systems, when I'm asked, "but how does it do that?", I can always say, "Hmm, I don't know. Let's see!"
The macBook isn't that much worse than other laptops, but iOS most definitely takes away your freedom. It has a single software source with no option to install something Apple doesn't approve of. They've blocked children's programming apps, political statements, and magazines relating to their competition.
From the Giving Guide: "Project Gutenberg over Amazon". The problem with relying exclusively on Gutenberg is that you'll end up with an impression that nothing happened after 1922 because that's the cutoff for U.S. perpetual copyright. This means, for example no World War II to spur the development of electronic computers in the first place.
I thought for sure they would be promoting printed copies of the GNU Emacs manual and 1/2" tapes with the source of GCC on them.
I'd love to know what their definition of "buy new devices frequently" is in relation to the MacBook Pro - mine is 3.5 years old and its still going strong. I envision getting another 2 or more years out of it yet, probably more. Its already older than the Dell it replaced.
Intel webcam from the early 2ks? What a blast from the past. Does it have a composite video output per chance? If it does it works perfectly well with a cheap bt8xx tv card.
They really aren't trying very hard. Seriously who is actually going to prefer an FSF membership over an iTunes giftcard? You can download DRM-free music that you can play anywhere from iTunes so how is it the FSF is so opposed to that? I'd prefer a donation be made in my name to The Human Fund than an FSF membership.
No, sorry, the economy is bad these days, so all I'm giving this year is the kernel. The user land will have to wait till next year.
Its not particularly speedy but with VirtualBox on top of the Windows 7 it lets me install a full real (BSD) Unix
Do I see a problem right there? What about simply installing "a full real (BSD) Unix" onto the hardware? Wouldn't it become slightly speedier?
Ezekiel 23:20
As I see it, the FSF's biggest problem is that their obsession with "not-proprietary" actually seems to overshadow their focus on "legally free".
However, at least this list has a couple of actual things on it that actually would be generous gifts (Heck, yeah, if somebody bought me that 3D printer, I'd cope with waiting a week or two after christmas to get it, and a nice laptop computer would always be appreciated). I was half-expecting it to be ALL "Give the FSF money and tell then you did it for them!"
Optimist that I am, I actually clicked hoping for a list of hackable routers, toys, phones, etc. Silly me.
Hacker Public Radio is our Friend
You can download DRM-free music that you can play anywhere from iTunes so how is it the FSF is so opposed to that?
You didn't read the FSF's reasoning, did you. They object to how the only way to download those DRM-free tracks is with that annoying proprietary bloat-ware, iTunes.
They didn't mention, but the DRM-free tracks from Apple are also patent-encumbered AAC and violate your privacy, by including your account details in the file.
Have a nice time.
If you're going to claim that the ThinkPenguin laptops are "garbage," could you at least say why they are garbage, e.g. build quality, feature set, whether one can replace some parts oneself, and so on? Otherwise it just looks like a dumb flame.
They object to how the only way to download those DRM-free tracks is with that annoying proprietary bloat-ware, iTunes.
That is really lame, if you're ultra-paranoid just run it in a VM and delete it once the tracks are downloaded. The upshot is you can get DRM-free music and not be beholden to Apple at all.
They didn't mention, but the DRM-free tracks from Apple are also patent-encumbered AAC and violate your privacy, by including your account details in the file.
Being DRM-free you can convert those tracks to whatever format you want. I do understand them not endorsing such products due to the process to get the media but the fact that the media is DRM-free and therefore can easily be converted to any format you want means the result is achievable and desirable.
Did you bother to look at them?
Nope, it is a USB camera - Intel CS110. A quaint old camera; I was shocked that it worked with Windows 8 actually. My primary camera got busted, and I dug this out of my garage. Oddly enough, it works with Skype in Desktop mode, but the turd that is Metro Skype refuses to believe I have a camera.
Yet they miss the point totally and fully. They should compare the iTunes giftcard with a giftcard from a mustic service that is DRM free. Likewise the comparison of YouTube to MediaGoblin is stupid. It is like saying you should not buy a Mercedes SLK, instead use this open source motor block. The list is pretty lame, but it unfortunately falls in line with much of the FSF communication: "trying to improve the work, but slightly missing the point". Why am I a FSFE fellow again?
That is really lame, if you're ultra-paranoid just run it in a VM and delete it once the tracks are downloaded. The upshot is you can get DRM-free music and not be beholden to Apple at all.
iTunes does not run on open-source operating systems (even with Wine) so VMs don't help one bit. Running iTunes requires buying Windows or an Apple computer
As a great proponent of software freedom, digital (and other) privacy etc... I can applaud the FSF for bringing to light the issues with common software and hardware and offering alternatives. However, from a practical standpoint, as others have said - these items are only alluring to those who value software freedom above all else. Why? These items typically will be less functional, easy to use, or are otherwise encumbered for all but those who see the value of software freedom and are willing to put in the effort to use it despite the above.
While I know the FSF needs to have uncompromising ideals and push for them - , I do think this can be a starting point for the Linux, FOSS, privacy/security etc... community to use as a learning experience for how to mate the ideals we value to the pragmatic needs of others, especially non-gurus. Taking the items provided as a basis, perhaps we can go a little further..
OS: The FSF suggests Trisquel and an alternative for Windows. While the idea of submitting a Linux distro as a substitute OS is a good one, the difference in experience between Trisquel and Windows for a Windows user may be staggering. This is a distro that does not include, even as an option, anything with a license that doesn't meet FSF standards of freedom. Thus, you're losing a lot of things there even compared to other Linux distros. Telling someone "Oh hey, try this new OS out on your laptop, it respects your freedom and privacy. But uh... your wireless card may not be supported. Sorry. Here's a list of additional dongles you can buy that are supported, through!" isn't going to go very far. There are many distros that may be a better compromise out there. Linux Mint Debian Edition for instance (or even plain Debian) protects a user's freedom/privacy (something Ubuntu sadly, does not), but gives many more options including things like the use of 3D binary GPU drivers etc.
3D Printer - While I'm not versed in depth regarding the state of 3D printing comparisons, it seems like the Lulzbot is a great alternative to the Makerbot; competitive in cost and functionality, while being Free hardware and software. However, it does not seem to be currently available, instead being on backorder. Hard to consider a holiday gift item that may not make it by the holidays! The bigger issue with this item instead is that a 3D printer is a very niche device, especially one as expensive as this. There could probably be a lot of other options for this entry instead; I'll go into that later.
Gift Cards - This was just a missed opportunity. While I do think that a FSF donation/membership gift could be mentioned, this is again a very niche community that is best sought out by those who are most interested. Those without the technical interest and know how, will probably think "gee...thanks" and look at it the same way as if someone bought them one of those "congratulations, someone has purchased a cow for some impoverished people somewhere in your name!" - unless the person is very into the "cause", its not so much a gift for them as it is spending money on something the buyer values but the recipient may not. However, there are tons of alternatives for an iTunes giftcard that would be a good FOSS analog. How about one of the DRM-free media stores, like Magnatune or 7Digital? Even FSF's own Defective By Design campaign lists many of them - http://www.defectivebydesign.org/guide/audio - wouldn't this be a better alternative, showing people that they can buy music unencumbered by DRM elsewhere?
Laptop - This is where I get a little frustrated. I'd love to go out of my way to buy a Libre laptop, or even just one that comes with Linux installed and supported natively. However, so many of the Linux system integrators..well, just don't cut it. Consider that we're increasingly pushing towards "tablet convertible" laptops, ultrabooks, and even luxe power/aesthetic balanced models. 10 point multitouch screens, glass trackp
Or a Lemote Yeedong laptop running Libre-Linux from GNewSense ;-)
Given that we're discussing the FSF, they'd want a libre-Linux - preferably Trisquel or GNewSense to any BSD, and certainly over any Windows
I ignored the guide (well I didn't know about it at the time) and got a Kindle Fire. Guess what, you can't even install the free apps without a credit card. And is not like it comes with a lot of apps, it is basically unusable without a credit card!
iTunes does not run on open-source operating systems (even with Wine) so VMs don't help one bit. Running iTunes requires buying Windows or an Apple computer
errr...a VM is a Virtual Machine, you don't have to buy a Windows or Apple computer, you can run Windows in a VM on a linux system if you like, or thanks to the lack of DRM you can use any Windows or OSX system to download the songs and then copy them to wherever you want.
errr...a VM is a Virtual Machine, you don't have to buy a Windows or Apple computer, you can run Windows in a VM on a linux system if you like
Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled. So to run Windows in your VM you will have to buy a Windows license. Even if your computer came with Windows preinstalled, it's likely that it will refuse to run in your VM due to the different hardware, or because it's tied to your specific computer brand through some string in the BIOS. As for Mac OS X, AFAIK Apple forbids you from running it in a VM if that VM is not running on an Apple computer, hence why I said that you needed to buy either Windows, or an Apple computer. Or you could pirate the OS but then why not cut the middleman and pirate the music directly...
or thanks to the lack of DRM you can use any Windows or OSX system to download the songs and then copy them to wherever you want.
If you're allowed to install iTunes on your work computer, and access to these non-work sites is not blocked; or if you have friends who let you use their computers to download stuff. Otherwise that "any Windows or OSX system" will be one you bought which brings us back to the above.
Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled.
That doesn't mean you have to buy a Windows or Apple computer though, as you falsely stated. You have clearly only just discovered what a VM is given your statement that "iTunes does not run on open-source operating systems so VMs don't help one bit" which is false because obviously if iTunes ran on open source operating systems then the use of VM would be irrelevant anyway and the VM runs on the open source operating system and the proprietary operating system runs in inside that, so I suggest you go an educate yourself on this before attempting to discuss it further.
hence why I said that you needed to buy either Windows, or an Apple computer.
Which is obviously rubbish, you either have to buy a Windows license (which as you seem to have a very difficult time with basic comprehension is not a computer) or use somebody's Windows or Apple machine or somebody's system with a Windows VM. You could even rent a cloud-based Windows or Mac VM if you really wanted to.
If you're allowed to install iTunes on your work computer, and access to these non-work sites is not blocked; or if you have friends who let you use their computers to download stuff. Otherwise that "any Windows or OSX system" will be one you bought which brings us back to the above.
No, you can buy a Windows license and use a VM, but in the real world just about everybody has access to a system with Windows or OSX some way even if you would like to believe they don't. It really isn't as difficult or obscure a case as you are making it out to be.
Ultimately it is easy to get DRM-free music, which is a good thing, obviously the process to do it is far too difficult for you though.
Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled.
That doesn't mean you have to buy a Windows or Apple computer though, as you falsely stated. You have clearly only just discovered what a VM is
Eh. I've been using VMs since 2001, currently have 69 VMs on my computer, 8 of which are various versions of Windows and I also manage 8 others on a server. Such a newbie!
Which is obviously rubbish, you either have to buy a Windows license or use somebody's Windows or Apple machine
Yay, we agree, mostly! See, I never said one had to buy a Windows computer, though I admit my formulation was ambiguous and poorly worded. Sorry for that. But compare "buying Windows or an Apple computer" (what I wrote, even added a comma the second time around) and "buying a Windows or Apple computer" (what you understood). But I do like your suggestion so let me rephrase that to be unambiguous: "Running iTunes requires buying either a Windows license or an Apple computer".
Where we still disagree is on the whole borrowing or renting someone else's computer as a practical, reasonnable for the masses way to run iTunes.
No, you can buy a Windows license and use a VM, but in the real world just about everybody has access to a system with Windows or OSX
Meaning in practical terms VMs are even less of a solution.
Where we still disagree is on the whole borrowing or renting someone else's computer as a practical, reasonnable for the masses way to run iTunes.
If all you want to do is redeem a gift card to download some tracks then it is perfectly reasonable, I would agree that it wouldn't be reasonable if those tracks were DRM restricted and then still required iTunes but they aren't, they only require iTunes to download them.