5 ms·

Oh no what will the poor most valuable company in the world do if we violate their made-up rules? It's an existential crisis, isn't it? Why should software hav

Oh no what will the poor most valuable company in the world do if we violate their made-up rules? It's an existential crisis, isn't it? Why should software have a EULA and not a screwdriver or a tractor or a pair of socks? "I bought it and I'll do what I want with it", why is software the only thing that isn't sold? Just because rich software dudes made up some rules doesn't mean they can make us follow them. lol. Isn't this place called hacker news, don't hackers bend and break rules all the time, in the pursuit of knowledge and better technology? Even the founders of YCombinator (one of em) made the most infamous worm in computer history, that's hardly "following the rules". And then Apple decided you couldn't install any software on your own computer (aka phone) unless they both approved it and you give them a 30% tithe on top of what the author makes. Fuck 'em. Build more Hackintoshes; do whatever you want. I'll keep on using open source since it's no-effort, free, and non-patronizing w/r/t my software sources. The internet only stops being the wild west when you turn in your guns and buy a plow (that can only be used on Apple-approved sharecropping projects).

briandear 8y ago
So when people violate GPL or other open source licenses, it’s ok to ignore that too right? This is morally equivalent: one can’t expect “made up rules” of open source to apply to anyone if “made up rules” can just be arbitrarily ignored.
- seba_dos1 8y ago
  GPL is about distribution, completely different kind of license than EULAs.
- PostOnce 8y ago
  Sure, if you can handle the heat from the GPL Police. I'm not entirely convinced open source licenses are a better idea than just making all open source public domain, with no restrictions at all.
wilsonnb 8y ago
>Oh no what will the poor most valuable company in the world do if we violate their made-up rules? It's an existential crisis, isn't it? Just because Apple is the most valuable company in the world doesn't mean they shouldn't get the same rights that every other company does. >Just because rich software dudes made up some rules doesn't mean they can make us follow them. lol. They actually can make you follow these rules, or at least attempt to, by suing you and anyone else who violates their EULA. They probably won't, and even if they do the courts might not hold it up, but they can certainly try if they want to. >Why should software have a EULA and not a screwdriver or a tractor or a pair of socks? I'm perfectly fine with socks and screwdrivers having EULA's. There are several reasons they don't and software does. 1. People will buy another company's socks and screwdrivers, because they are all pretty much the same. OS's are much more complicated and differ from each other more. 2. It's much harder to check if a physical object is violating it's EULA than software that is (almost always) connected to the internet. 3. Software can be easily copied an infinite number of times and is therefore more prone to certain kinds of misuse than physical objects. >Isn't this place called hacker news, don't hackers bend and break rules all the time, in the pursuit of knowledge and better technology? This place may be called hacker news but there are plenty of people here who are just software engineers, not hackers. Anyone who wants to be able to license or sell their software, or get paid for writing software that will be licensed or sold by someone else, should at least question the ethics behind making a hackintosh.
- NickBusey 8y ago
  >People will buy another company's socks and screwdrivers, because they are all pretty much the same This sounds like someone who has never experienced the difference between a pack of the cheapest socks Walmart has to offer and some nice hiking socks from REI. Or someone who has never experienced the difference between whatever screwdriver Harbor Freight sells, and a nice ratcheting, magnetic screw driver with swappable bits and a built in light.
ksk 8y ago
>why is software the only thing that isn't sold? You'll get it if you try to start a business selling software ;) The best way to protest is to use non-EULAed software instead of breaking the EULA (which I admit, might be unenforceable anyway). Much like using Public Domain/Free stuff to protest copyright. If you keep using copyrighted stuff all you're telling the creators is that their product has a super high demand. And all they're going to wanna do is find a way to reduce violations. But then again, if it was impossible to pirate Windows, would everyone switch to Linux?

briandear 8y ago

So when people violate GPL or other open source licenses, it’s ok to ignore that too right? This is morally equivalent: one can’t expect “made up rules” of open source to apply to anyone if “made up rules” can just be arbitrarily ignored.

seba_dos1 8y ago
GPL is about distribution, completely different kind of license than EULAs.
PostOnce 8y ago
Sure, if you can handle the heat from the GPL Police. I'm not entirely convinced open source licenses are a better idea than just making all open source public domain, with no restrictions at all.

wilsonnb 8y ago

>Oh no what will the poor most valuable company in the world do if we violate their made-up rules? It's an existential crisis, isn't it? Just because Apple is the most valuable company in the world doesn't mean they shouldn't get the same rights that every other company does. >Just because rich software dudes made up some rules doesn't mean they can make us follow them. lol. They actually can make you follow these rules, or at least attempt to, by suing you and anyone else who violates their EULA. They probably won't, and even if they do the courts might not hold it up, but they can certainly try if they want to. >Why should software have a EULA and not a screwdriver or a tractor or a pair of socks? I'm perfectly fine with socks and screwdrivers having EULA's. There are several reasons they don't and software does. 1. People will buy another company's socks and screwdrivers, because they are all pretty much the same. OS's are much more complicated and differ from each other more. 2. It's much harder to check if a physical object is violating it's EULA than software that is (almost always) connected to the internet. 3. Software can be easily copied an infinite number of times and is therefore more prone to certain kinds of misuse than physical objects. >Isn't this place called hacker news, don't hackers bend and break rules all the time, in the pursuit of knowledge and better technology? This place may be called hacker news but there are plenty of people here who are just software engineers, not hackers. Anyone who wants to be able to license or sell their software, or get paid for writing software that will be licensed or sold by someone else, should at least question the ethics behind making a hackintosh.

NickBusey 8y ago
>People will buy another company's socks and screwdrivers, because they are all pretty much the same This sounds like someone who has never experienced the difference between a pack of the cheapest socks Walmart has to offer and some nice hiking socks from REI. Or someone who has never experienced the difference between whatever screwdriver Harbor Freight sells, and a nice ratcheting, magnetic screw driver with swappable bits and a built in light.

ksk 8y ago

>why is software the only thing that isn't sold? You'll get it if you try to start a business selling software ;) The best way to protest is to use non-EULAed software instead of breaking the EULA (which I admit, might be unenforceable anyway). Much like using Public Domain/Free stuff to protest copyright. If you keep using copyrighted stuff all you're telling the creators is that their product has a super high demand. And all they're going to wanna do is find a way to reduce violations. But then again, if it was impossible to pirate Windows, would everyone switch to Linux?