4 ms·

We are allowing large corporations to dictate and push the web toward a closed system. A future where there has to be an App for that, and if you don't keep you

We are allowing large corporations to dictate and push the web toward a closed system. A future where there has to be an App for that, and if you don't keep your head down you will be censored and cutoff from the rest of the online world.

2trill2spill 9y ago
Hogwash, there is more open source software now then ever before.
- 5ilv3r 9y ago
  We have a quality problem, even it there is ample quantity.
  - 2trill2spill 9y ago
    Most software, open or closed has quality issues, so while I think your right, I also think that's a separate conversation.
- ethanwillis 9y ago
  Developers are using open source. End users not so much, except open source bundled into their apps as libraries to actually power them. Getting an app into users hands nowadays is becoming gatekeeped more and more. Either through fearmongering (buy those certs for your apps approved by Gatekeeper X) or literal gatekeeping on app stores. You can argue that people don't have to use locked down app stores, but then you're just missing the point.
  - bhhaskin 9y ago
    I couldn't agree more, and on top of that it is getting harder and harder to use open app stores. More and more devices are locked down.
- pdonis 9y ago
  What's important is not what software exists somewhere where somebody could theoretically download and use it, but what software actually gets used. Most users don't even know what open source software is, much less where to find any; they use what comes with either Windows or OS X or their smartphone. Also, your software can be as open source as you like, but if it can't interoperate with the rest of the Internet, it's useless. Personally, I don't watch TV or movies on my computer so I don't particularly care whether my browser lets me do that or not. But I would care very much if, for example, my bank's website started requiring a DRM-capable browser. Open source doesn't address that problem.
  - no_wizard 9y ago
    Its always been this way. I can't remember a time that open source software was front of mind even for those who Ould have had a vested interest in knowing about beyond computer scientists/engineers or their academic counterparts. There are exceptions, no doubt. I think generally though, this has always been the case. End users in particular usually don't know the difference nor do they care to (though as the allegory goes, sometimes they do when its too late. )
    - jononor 9y ago
      Firefox was for a while. OpenOffice also for a short time (especially in schools), before webby things (Google Docs etc) ate it up.
  - movedx 9y ago
    > Most users don't even know what open source software is, much less where to find any; they use what comes with either Windows or OS X or their smartphone. This is an educational issue at the social level. The technology is still available.
    - tdy721 9y ago
      Exactly, I don't want a password for my online banking, I actually despise the fact that my bank would ever even ask for one. I want a bank where I can deliver an SSH key. The tech is here. It's been here all along.
- davexunit 9y ago
  Yet users are less free now than ever before. The open source methodology leads to free libraries for devs, free labor for companies, but proprietary applications for users.
- syshum 9y ago
  Is there though? There are more open source libraries, tools, frameworks, languages and other tools used to create software But I am seeing a HUGE shift to Closed off, non open SaaS and property installed apps for end users. Outside of dev tools I am not seeing a shift to open source. GPL a licence that protects user freedom has fallen out of favor in place of MIT and BSD which protects developer freedom So like EME, Open Source has become hostile users. Open Source is for dev's not users
  - rimliu 9y ago
    > Outside of dev tools I am not seeing a shift to open > source. Because very few open source authors understand end users which are not developers. And comments here prove that.
tdy721 9y ago
If you want the masses to care, the masses will have to lose first. They (not hackers) don't get it, and it's inconceivable that they ever will... Until they notice the closed system. Is there even a war taking place? Battles are often forgotten. Yes, we (the hackers) allowed this to happen. We need to think about it now. I feel like the YOU in your comment is slightly misaddressed. What can WE do about it? jus' trolling the good guys...
- bhhaskin 9y ago
  Once a system becomes closed it is very difficult to become open again. It's like personal liberty & freedoms, if you/we give them up they are almost impossible to get them back.
- xvilka 9y ago
  Probably it will take a few centuries to realise this, and every single right restriction. People are always bad at protecting their rights.
fiatjaf 9y ago
We? talk about yourself. I didn't have the chance to choose any of these.
- bhhaskin 9y ago
  Do you use any Google/Apple/Facebook products? You are choosing with your wallet or personal data if you are. They only have power because we give them power either by using their products or giving them more data points.
ljcrabs 9y ago
>A future where there has to be an App for that Standardising on this means the exact opposite, there will not need to be an app for everything, just the web.

2trill2spill 9y ago

Hogwash, there is more open source software now then ever before.

5ilv3r 9y ago
We have a quality problem, even it there is ample quantity.
- 2trill2spill 9y ago
  Most software, open or closed has quality issues, so while I think your right, I also think that's a separate conversation.
ethanwillis 9y ago
Developers are using open source. End users not so much, except open source bundled into their apps as libraries to actually power them. Getting an app into users hands nowadays is becoming gatekeeped more and more. Either through fearmongering (buy those certs for your apps approved by Gatekeeper X) or literal gatekeeping on app stores. You can argue that people don't have to use locked down app stores, but then you're just missing the point.
- bhhaskin 9y ago
  I couldn't agree more, and on top of that it is getting harder and harder to use open app stores. More and more devices are locked down.
pdonis 9y ago
What's important is not what software exists somewhere where somebody could theoretically download and use it, but what software actually gets used. Most users don't even know what open source software is, much less where to find any; they use what comes with either Windows or OS X or their smartphone. Also, your software can be as open source as you like, but if it can't interoperate with the rest of the Internet, it's useless. Personally, I don't watch TV or movies on my computer so I don't particularly care whether my browser lets me do that or not. But I would care very much if, for example, my bank's website started requiring a DRM-capable browser. Open source doesn't address that problem.
- no_wizard 9y ago
  Its always been this way. I can't remember a time that open source software was front of mind even for those who Ould have had a vested interest in knowing about beyond computer scientists/engineers or their academic counterparts. There are exceptions, no doubt. I think generally though, this has always been the case. End users in particular usually don't know the difference nor do they care to (though as the allegory goes, sometimes they do when its too late. )
  - jononor 9y ago
    Firefox was for a while. OpenOffice also for a short time (especially in schools), before webby things (Google Docs etc) ate it up.
- movedx 9y ago
  > Most users don't even know what open source software is, much less where to find any; they use what comes with either Windows or OS X or their smartphone. This is an educational issue at the social level. The technology is still available.
  - tdy721 9y ago
    Exactly, I don't want a password for my online banking, I actually despise the fact that my bank would ever even ask for one. I want a bank where I can deliver an SSH key. The tech is here. It's been here all along.
davexunit 9y ago
Yet users are less free now than ever before. The open source methodology leads to free libraries for devs, free labor for companies, but proprietary applications for users.
syshum 9y ago
Is there though? There are more open source libraries, tools, frameworks, languages and other tools used to create software But I am seeing a HUGE shift to Closed off, non open SaaS and property installed apps for end users. Outside of dev tools I am not seeing a shift to open source. GPL a licence that protects user freedom has fallen out of favor in place of MIT and BSD which protects developer freedom So like EME, Open Source has become hostile users. Open Source is for dev's not users
- rimliu 9y ago
  > Outside of dev tools I am not seeing a shift to open > source. Because very few open source authors understand end users which are not developers. And comments here prove that.

tdy721 9y ago

If you want the masses to care, the masses will have to lose first. They (not hackers) don't get it, and it's inconceivable that they ever will... Until they notice the closed system. Is there even a war taking place? Battles are often forgotten. Yes, we (the hackers) allowed this to happen. We need to think about it now. I feel like the YOU in your comment is slightly misaddressed. What can WE do about it? jus' trolling the good guys...

bhhaskin 9y ago
Once a system becomes closed it is very difficult to become open again. It's like personal liberty & freedoms, if you/we give them up they are almost impossible to get them back.
xvilka 9y ago
Probably it will take a few centuries to realise this, and every single right restriction. People are always bad at protecting their rights.

fiatjaf 9y ago

We? talk about yourself. I didn't have the chance to choose any of these.

bhhaskin 9y ago
Do you use any Google/Apple/Facebook products? You are choosing with your wallet or personal data if you are. They only have power because we give them power either by using their products or giving them more data points.

ljcrabs 9y ago

>A future where there has to be an App for that Standardising on this means the exact opposite, there will not need to be an app for everything, just the web.