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Choice is slavery. What does he mean I can't "control" closed software I run? I start it, stop it, and click on the pretty buttons to make it do things. Sure I
by tbrownaw 17y ago
Choice is slavery.
What does he mean I can't "control" closed software I run? I start it, stop it, and click on the pretty buttons to make it do things. Sure I can't turn it into something different, but then I don't have the infinite free time necessary to do that to open software anyhow. If OpenOffice is changed in a way I don't like, I have exactly the same options I'd have if Microsoft Office was changed in a way I don't like: stay on the old version, move to a different office suite, or put up with it.
Hosted software is the same, except for the option to stay with an old version.
- tjarratt 17y agoThe idea is more that you have the liberty to change the software should you want to. Regardless of whether or not you have the time, inclination or skills necessary to change the software, not having the source code prevents you from being able to do that. That said, Richard Stallman does sound like an idiot when he writes things like "Some web pages install nontrivial or even large JavaScript programs temporarily into your browser without informing you. When these JavaScript programs are nonfree, they are as bad as any other nonfree software".
- tbrownaw 17y agoSure, but a theoretical liberty is rather useless without the practical ability to, well, use it.