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Windows is hundreds of dollars. And what part of Linux makes me the product?
by jasonkostempski 10y ago
Windows is hundreds of dollars. And what part of Linux makes me the product?
- maxander 10y ago> And what part of Linux makes me the product? As long as there's no provider whose product you could be, perhaps, but be careful even with Linux- awhile back, Canonical added a feature to Ubuntu where the user's use of the dashboard search function was reported back to the company [1]. That got taken out after a mass uproar, but we now know that Canonical wants to be just as creepy as MS. [1] https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.en.html https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.en.html
- jasonkostempski 10y agoThat was a big one. Luckily free software pretty much guarantees no one is going to get away with trying such a thing (unless just about everyone in the world looses sight of the main goal), it's too easy to switch. During that fiasco, I was on Arch and/or Trisquel so it didn't phase me much, currently on Xubuntu though.
- woodandsteel 10y agoLike much communication, there is something unstated but clearly implied in the expression "There is no such thing as a free meal" This is that it refers to products of commercial enterprises. Charities, for instance, do give meals away for free. Linux is produced by a volunteer, non-profit organization, and so it is free. By the way, I have noticed that it is rather common for HN commenters to fail to pick up the assumed meanings, and jump on the words alone as being mistaken.