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The policies he specifically mentioned: -Region-locked DVD's - never really enforced, and DVD's were irrelevant years ago anyways. -App Store - decision by a

by navait 12y ago

The policies he specifically mentioned: -Region-locked DVD's - never really enforced, and DVD's were irrelevant years ago anyways. -App Store - decision by a private company that many like! Not policy. -Sony Rootkit. Happened in 2005, never happened again. Not a policy. -prohibiting printing gun.stl on your 3-D printer. If you think that's the future in the US, you are flat out retarded. -Self-Driving cars that are self-disabling. Too far in the future to really hammer out a policy framework for yet. Unclear why the government would demand that law enforcement be able to control remotely. -California. The only policy that's actually real and is pretty minor. Only can be used as theft deterrent. Even if he doesn't directly mention free software, it's intellectual inheritance is so clearly from RMS that I don't think it really needs to go without saying.

foolrush 12y ago
The belief that somehow private companies make decisions “just fine” highlights the socio-cultural side. It doesn't take much introspection to cite bleak moments from our collective North American histories that were socially acceptable, while being rather dubious ethically. Smoking was once a “free choice” and desired, and came with it willful years of of ignorance of the influence of second hand smoke. If we dig deeper, we could spend much time discussing slavery and sufferage other such messes that, while abhorrent by today's standards, were perfect cultural fits during their respective reigns. And implicitly bound to private enterprise. Private enterprise doesn't make any of his opinions dissolve, nor less relevant. On the contrary, as those cultural and ideological vantages are precisely why his points are relevant.
- mc32 12y ago
  I think we can only evaluate things on their present merits. One can't go back in time and indict previous cultures for their norms. So, perhaps one day in the future people will look at us and find it repugnant. That may very well be the case, but that's how it has to be. You evaluate by your current standards not by an undetermined future enlightened state (or who knows, things could all go backwards some day just the same.)
emiliobumachar 12y ago
About the region locked DVD's: a) It was always very real for the stuff bought in a store. Jailbraking is hard for normal people. b) The fact that it's a crime chills some jailbreakers, even if never enforced. c) Once it's a crime, it could start to be enforced anytime and even selectively. Presumably with no shortage of reasonable-sounding people pointing out that guilt is evident and punishment as described by the law.
emiliobumachar 12y ago
Regarding decisions made by private companies: you might be familiar with the various noises the US government made when Apple recently announced a possible future "no backdoor" policy. If they cancel those plans, is it really a private decision?

by navait 12y ago

foolrush 12y ago

The belief that somehow private companies make decisions “just fine” highlights the socio-cultural side. It doesn't take much introspection to cite bleak moments from our collective North American histories that were socially acceptable, while being rather dubious ethically. Smoking was once a “free choice” and desired, and came with it willful years of of ignorance of the influence of second hand smoke. If we dig deeper, we could spend much time discussing slavery and sufferage other such messes that, while abhorrent by today's standards, were perfect cultural fits during their respective reigns. And implicitly bound to private enterprise. Private enterprise doesn't make any of his opinions dissolve, nor less relevant. On the contrary, as those cultural and ideological vantages are precisely why his points are relevant.

mc32 12y ago
I think we can only evaluate things on their present merits. One can't go back in time and indict previous cultures for their norms. So, perhaps one day in the future people will look at us and find it repugnant. That may very well be the case, but that's how it has to be. You evaluate by your current standards not by an undetermined future enlightened state (or who knows, things could all go backwards some day just the same.)

emiliobumachar 12y ago

About the region locked DVD's: a) It was always very real for the stuff bought in a store. Jailbraking is hard for normal people. b) The fact that it's a crime chills some jailbreakers, even if never enforced. c) Once it's a crime, it could start to be enforced anytime and even selectively. Presumably with no shortage of reasonable-sounding people pointing out that guilt is evident and punishment as described by the law.

emiliobumachar 12y ago

Regarding decisions made by private companies: you might be familiar with the various noises the US government made when Apple recently announced a possible future "no backdoor" policy. If they cancel those plans, is it really a private decision?