4 ms·

"Sorry, we can't be friends anymore, you use bad software." Look, I guess I kind of get what you're saying, but unless you're Stallman this kind of lifestyle ju

by nyx 4y ago

"Sorry, we can't be friends anymore, you use bad software." Look, I guess I kind of get what you're saying, but unless you're Stallman this kind of lifestyle just isn't viable. Real people just want to use the thing that's easy to set up, good enough for their uses, and most importantly already popular. Network effects are a real showstopper for those of us who'd like to move to FOSS alternatives, and when the options are to either use the popular thing and communicate with our friends, or insist on the FOSS thing and isolate ourselves, it takes more zealotry than most of us can muster to commit to the latter.

EddieDante 4y ago
I didn't have friends before Discord existed, so I never had a reason to use it. Network effects don't mean shit when you lean into capitalist atomization.
- tenryuu 4y ago
  With an attitude like that I'm not surprised
ls15 4y ago
> Real people just want to use the thing that's easy to set up, good enough for their uses, and most importantly already popular. In reality this is not one app, but Skype AND Facebook Messenger AND Discord AND Zoom AND Teams AND Whatsapp AND ... I am really glad that the EU is now requiring messenger bridging by regulation, so people don't have to install an ever-increasing number of spyware apps, just to be able to talk to their families, friends and colleagues.
- shreyshnaccount 4y ago
  I really hope this message bridging regulation is more widely adopted and atleast I can move to a Foss alt
  - ls15 4y ago
    Companies with a market valuation above €75bn will be heavily fined if they try to skip this.
  - flipdot 4y ago
    I really like how people striving for freedom in software are always ready—and eager—to take away the freedoms of companies they don’t like. “I want to be able to do whatever I wish for with software I use, but I don’t want people who make software to be able to do anything with their own products”, huh?
    - xigoi 4y ago
      The freedom to choose what software you use is more important than the freedom to make your software a walled garden.
      - monkeywork 4y ago
        Freedom to choose what software you use is completely different than having the freedom to force developers to give you features that you want. You do have the freedom of software choice already.
        ls15 4y ago
        > You do have the freedom of software choice already. Not on iOS (until next January when regulation kicks in)
        xigoi 4y ago
        My school makes me use Microsoft Teams. In order to communicate with my classmates, I have to use Facebook Messenger. The new law will hopefully resolve that. Are you expecting me to drop out of school instead just so I don't have to use proprietary software?
        Schroedingersat 4y ago
        Not when you can't go to university or get employed without using ms teams. Or buy second hand without facebook or their properties. Or contact businesses without facebook.
herbst 4y ago
IMO a little Stallman is a good thing. Are you installing any random app when someone asks you for contact details? How will you find out that the person actually has Telegram if you don't refuse Facebook and WhatsApp first? Is it actually relevant that you use the same social platform as all your friends do? Or is it actually possible to just not and still be friends?
- 2Gkashmiri 4y ago
  i have been holding out on installing whatsapp for as long it was an active service. i use a "business" number to get work contacts to send me stuff but never my personal phones. i am anxiously waiting for the EU dma to be enforced so that finally i can use my matrix to connect to whatsapp/snap/fb/insta users who want to connect to me, right now they cant and its a bummer but i've stubbornly stuck to this.
  - viraptor 4y ago
    I think you'll be disappointed in your specific situating. The regulation doesn't seem to force the communicators to be both open protocol and open federation. Unless I misunderstand it, Apple, Google and FB having a private federation between each other would satisfy it too.
    - 2Gkashmiri 4y ago
      https://element.io/blog/the-digital-markets-act-explained-in-15-questions/ https://element.io/blog/the-digital-markets-act-explained-in... this explains it nicely. i dont think private federation would cut it
      - viraptor 4y ago
        That's awesome, thank you for the correction.

by nyx 4y ago

EddieDante 4y ago

I didn't have friends before Discord existed, so I never had a reason to use it. Network effects don't mean shit when you lean into capitalist atomization.

tenryuu 4y ago
With an attitude like that I'm not surprised

ls15 4y ago

> Real people just want to use the thing that's easy to set up, good enough for their uses, and most importantly already popular. In reality this is not one app, but Skype AND Facebook Messenger AND Discord AND Zoom AND Teams AND Whatsapp AND ... I am really glad that the EU is now requiring messenger bridging by regulation, so people don't have to install an ever-increasing number of spyware apps, just to be able to talk to their families, friends and colleagues.

shreyshnaccount 4y ago
I really hope this message bridging regulation is more widely adopted and atleast I can move to a Foss alt
- ls15 4y ago
  Companies with a market valuation above €75bn will be heavily fined if they try to skip this.
- flipdot 4y ago
  I really like how people striving for freedom in software are always ready—and eager—to take away the freedoms of companies they don’t like. “I want to be able to do whatever I wish for with software I use, but I don’t want people who make software to be able to do anything with their own products”, huh?
  - xigoi 4y ago
    The freedom to choose what software you use is more important than the freedom to make your software a walled garden.
    - monkeywork 4y ago
      Freedom to choose what software you use is completely different than having the freedom to force developers to give you features that you want. You do have the freedom of software choice already.
      - ls15 4y ago
        > You do have the freedom of software choice already. Not on iOS (until next January when regulation kicks in)
      - xigoi 4y ago
        My school makes me use Microsoft Teams. In order to communicate with my classmates, I have to use Facebook Messenger. The new law will hopefully resolve that. Are you expecting me to drop out of school instead just so I don't have to use proprietary software?
      - Schroedingersat 4y ago
        Not when you can't go to university or get employed without using ms teams. Or buy second hand without facebook or their properties. Or contact businesses without facebook.

herbst 4y ago

IMO a little Stallman is a good thing. Are you installing any random app when someone asks you for contact details? How will you find out that the person actually has Telegram if you don't refuse Facebook and WhatsApp first? Is it actually relevant that you use the same social platform as all your friends do? Or is it actually possible to just not and still be friends?

2Gkashmiri 4y ago
i have been holding out on installing whatsapp for as long it was an active service. i use a "business" number to get work contacts to send me stuff but never my personal phones. i am anxiously waiting for the EU dma to be enforced so that finally i can use my matrix to connect to whatsapp/snap/fb/insta users who want to connect to me, right now they cant and its a bummer but i've stubbornly stuck to this.
- viraptor 4y ago
  I think you'll be disappointed in your specific situating. The regulation doesn't seem to force the communicators to be both open protocol and open federation. Unless I misunderstand it, Apple, Google and FB having a private federation between each other would satisfy it too.
  - 2Gkashmiri 4y ago
    https://element.io/blog/the-digital-markets-act-explained-in-15-questions/ https://element.io/blog/the-digital-markets-act-explained-in... this explains it nicely. i dont think private federation would cut it
    - viraptor 4y ago
      That's awesome, thank you for the correction.