3 ms·

The crucial difference is that with FOSS, unless a piece of software has some particularly gnarly and/or finicky dependencies, you can easily bypass whatever is

The crucial difference is that with FOSS, unless a piece of software has some particularly gnarly and/or finicky dependencies, you can easily bypass whatever is in your package manager's repositories and just use the version you want (by compiling it from source, or by using a ready-to-use version provided directly by the maintainers of the software itself, which is often, if not always, a possibility), regardless of what the maintainers of the aforementioned repositories do. With proprietary software, you simply do not have this option.

hilbert42 3y ago
"(by compiling it from source, or by using a ready-to-use version provided directly by the maintainers of the software itself, which is often, if not always, a possibility)," This is fine for those of us who know how to compile the source or find a ready-to-use version. Trouble is, I've often been in situations without updated sources being available and or where maintainers haven't been contactable. Ordinary users are in a worse position as most wouldn't know how to go about compiling code even if available. It's a significant problem.
- forgotmypw17 3y ago
  It's a problem, and the solution is not free, but there is a way where otherwise there is none at all.
- mrob 3y ago
  If ordinary users don't want to learn they have the option of paying somebody to do it for them.
  - forgotmypw17 3y ago
    I think that there is a lot of room for compassion and donated time and effort here. I have helped family and friends adopt foss on many occasions, and it has been worth my time.
  - troupo 3y ago
    That's why ordinary users they pay for Windows. And iPhones. They couldn't be bothered with "you should learn to compile arbitrary programs from source for the particular version of a particulr linux distirbution with particular library versions and available software". In all fairness I, as a programmer, couldn't be bothered to do that either.
    - Dalewyn 3y ago
      The fact this comment is getting downvoted speaks volumes to the degree of detachment a lot of the people here have from reality.
      - mostlylurks 3y ago
        It is not detachment from reality. Those of us that are comfortable with compiling some of the programs we use from source don't by any means expect ordinary users to be capable of doing the same. It's an option that works for us and that's fine for many of us, though I personally would prefer if regular users had options as well. It's also a straw man. Compiling from source is just one option (that is particularly relevant for the HN demographic), but many (most?) notable apps, the kinds regular users would be using anyway, seem to provide ready-to-use versions that can be downloaded from their site and run without even having to be installed. This is a very convenient workflow that even regular users would be capable of using, and is quite reminiscient of what people often do on proprietary desktop operating systems.
        hilbert42 3y ago
        "...though I personally would prefer if regular users had options as well." I must agree with that. Whilst I've written code and compiled it—even Assembler—when it comes to using compiled programs without source, MSO for instance, then I am essentially in the same position as the average user. I've lost count of the times that I've wished I could change a program to alter a feature or provide one that was missing. Like the average user I'm powerless to change it in any practical sense as it'd be so difficult and timeconsuming (even with source, it could still be very challenging and not worth the effort).

hilbert42 3y ago

"(by compiling it from source, or by using a ready-to-use version provided directly by the maintainers of the software itself, which is often, if not always, a possibility)," This is fine for those of us who know how to compile the source or find a ready-to-use version. Trouble is, I've often been in situations without updated sources being available and or where maintainers haven't been contactable. Ordinary users are in a worse position as most wouldn't know how to go about compiling code even if available. It's a significant problem.

forgotmypw17 3y ago
It's a problem, and the solution is not free, but there is a way where otherwise there is none at all.
mrob 3y ago
If ordinary users don't want to learn they have the option of paying somebody to do it for them.
- forgotmypw17 3y ago
  I think that there is a lot of room for compassion and donated time and effort here. I have helped family and friends adopt foss on many occasions, and it has been worth my time.
- troupo 3y ago
  That's why ordinary users they pay for Windows. And iPhones. They couldn't be bothered with "you should learn to compile arbitrary programs from source for the particular version of a particulr linux distirbution with particular library versions and available software". In all fairness I, as a programmer, couldn't be bothered to do that either.
  - Dalewyn 3y ago
    The fact this comment is getting downvoted speaks volumes to the degree of detachment a lot of the people here have from reality.
    - mostlylurks 3y ago
      It is not detachment from reality. Those of us that are comfortable with compiling some of the programs we use from source don't by any means expect ordinary users to be capable of doing the same. It's an option that works for us and that's fine for many of us, though I personally would prefer if regular users had options as well. It's also a straw man. Compiling from source is just one option (that is particularly relevant for the HN demographic), but many (most?) notable apps, the kinds regular users would be using anyway, seem to provide ready-to-use versions that can be downloaded from their site and run without even having to be installed. This is a very convenient workflow that even regular users would be capable of using, and is quite reminiscient of what people often do on proprietary desktop operating systems.
      - hilbert42 3y ago
        "...though I personally would prefer if regular users had options as well." I must agree with that. Whilst I've written code and compiled it—even Assembler—when it comes to using compiled programs without source, MSO for instance, then I am essentially in the same position as the average user. I've lost count of the times that I've wished I could change a program to alter a feature or provide one that was missing. Like the average user I'm powerless to change it in any practical sense as it'd be so difficult and timeconsuming (even with source, it could still be very challenging and not worth the effort).