On Thu, Mar 09, 2000 at 02:29:39PM +0000, Sascha Lucky Luck mentioned:
> Thus spoke John P. Looney:
> > myself. It should be illegal to provide software without source code, I
>> Sad to read that coming from you, Kate... While we're changing the law, why
> not enact mandatory pr0n filtering / key escrow / censorship (oops, we have
> that here already...) / etc.
>> Which ties in with RMS and freedom how?
>> If you don't like someone's source code or the lack thereof you'll always
> be *free* not to use it...
That's the thing. Even I can be conned into thinking that non-free
software will do the job. And it doesn't. you are locking into the reality
of having paid money for something that isn't quite what you want, and
then not being able to fix it (unless you chuck it out - which is easy, if
it's free software. Less easy if you've paid for it).
How can laws to increase freedom of the public be compared to filtering,
key escrow, and censorship ?
Part of the Amsterdam treaty expressly forbids any manufacturer to sell a
product that they don't provide full and detailed information on how to
maintain it. It was aimed at companies like BMW that had install
microchips that recorded when a service was needed in their high-end cars.
Only authorised BMW dealers could reset the clocks. So, the EU said "This
means that if you buy a car, and invest time in how it works, you are
still not allowed to fix it - that's illegal". It's not been ratified in
most countries (if any) yet, but it's only a matter of time.
Why can't they extend such laws to software & hardware ?
> > And, it's looking more and more like non-free stuff is too restrictive
> > for non-standard companies or individuals that do something different from
> > the lowest common denominator.
> Which I've seen being true for free / open source software as well.
> Whatever does the job best with the least hassle, gets to do it. I've a NOC
> to run. No time for politics.
And I've no intention of spending another two weeks working out why
AOLserver couldn't use my LDAP extension when the Oracle module was loaded
at the same time, again. I'd rather drink turpentine and piss on a brush
fire.</texas accent>
Kate
--
"The fool must be beaten with a stick, for an intelligent person
the merest hint is sufficient" -- Zen Master Greg
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