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A more fitting wording of the first point might be "The overlap between (the FSF-backed) software respecting user rights and interests and what users actually w

A more fitting wording of the first point might be "The overlap between (the FSF-backed) software respecting user rights and interests and what users actually want to use in reality is minuscule." The issue is not that the FSF failed, more that most people simply don't care enough. Similar to privacy, which in the end leads to revelations like Snowden's leaks or the Equifax data breach to be effectively shrugged off by most. Not because it's unimportant, but because in the real world it's very low on the average person's worries. Many non-tech people still struggle with sending emails or telling the difference between SMS and WhatsApp messages; issues that Stallman talks about are simply not relatable for many despite their relevance. Which, in my opinion, makes the further development of FLOSS(or however you want to call it) software only more important. So that the typical user has a point of comparison and knows what can and should be expected from software products. That weird bugs, intransparent behaviour and dark patterns are not supposed to be the norm.

fay59 6y ago
To say that the FSF failing is different from people not caring enough, you have to define the goals of the FSF in a way that it can succeed regardless of whether people care about it or not. I don't think that this is possible, and therefore the FSF failing is indistinguishable from people not caring enough. Even people who aren't very good with email or don't understand the difference between WhatsApp and SMS can do Zoom/FaceTime calls or use E2E encrypted messaging platforms while there is no sanctioned FSF platform to do either. Maybe the public would be concerned with the FSF's ideals would the FSF do the smallest modicum of effort to keep up with the public's use of software. And, of course, the FSF failing is not an indication that the open source movement failed. Open source arguably won. However, free software is currently grasping at the threads of relevance.

fay59 6y ago

To say that the FSF failing is different from people not caring enough, you have to define the goals of the FSF in a way that it can succeed regardless of whether people care about it or not. I don't think that this is possible, and therefore the FSF failing is indistinguishable from people not caring enough. Even people who aren't very good with email or don't understand the difference between WhatsApp and SMS can do Zoom/FaceTime calls or use E2E encrypted messaging platforms while there is no sanctioned FSF platform to do either. Maybe the public would be concerned with the FSF's ideals would the FSF do the smallest modicum of effort to keep up with the public's use of software. And, of course, the FSF failing is not an indication that the open source movement failed. Open source arguably won. However, free software is currently grasping at the threads of relevance.