> -----Original Message----- > From: Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 2:57 PM > To: gentoo-amd64@lists.gentoo.org > Subject: Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - > slaveryware) > > > On Thursday 28 September 2006 16:32, "Bob Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote about 'RE: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - > slaveryware)': > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Duncan > > > "Bob Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> posted > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED], excerpted below, > > > on > > > Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:16:29 -0700: > > That's not freedom, they are still completely dependent on the mechanic > > they take the car to. > > No, they aren't. They can use another mechanic. Instead of having to > consult *one particular entity* they can consult *any entity of a > particular class*. They gain a choice, which means they have more > freedom.
That's almost entirely a theoretical difference, in the real world this "freedom" is actually exercised very little if at all. I'm sure there are exceptions occasionally, but the fact is, the vast majority of OSS users who can't read/write source code, will never once in their entire life, contract with a third party to modify an app/driver/utility that they have the source code for. > If you still aren't convinced ask yourself which is more free: being able > to stand on only *one particular* square meter of public property > or being able to stand on *any* square meter (and, of course, being able to > change > your choice each time you choose to stand). I the theoretical world you're correct, in the real world people don't stand on a single square meter of public property or make decisions about doing so. > With non-free software, you are (at best) on the wrong end of a monopoly > position. > Intellectually you're technically correct, in real world terms it's a distinction without a difference. -- Regards, Bob Young -- gentoo-amd64@gentoo.org mailing list
