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diff --git a/src/frontend_blog/articles/scrap1_37.html b/src/frontend_blog/articles/scrap1_37.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..49a214c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/frontend_blog/articles/scrap1_37.html @@ -0,0 +1,273 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<!-- This is the second edition of Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman. + +Free Software Foundation + +51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor + +Boston, MA 02110-1335 +Copyright C 2002, 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire book are permitted +worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided this notice is +preserved. Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations +of this book from the original English into another language provided +the translation has been approved by the Free Software Foundation and +the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all +copies. + +ISBN 978-0-9831592-0-9 +Cover design by Rob Myers. + +Cover photograph by Peter Hinely. + --> +<!-- Created on February 18, 2016 by texi2html 1.82 +texi2html was written by: + Lionel Cons <Lionel.Cons@cern.ch> (original author) + Karl Berry <karl@freefriends.org> + Olaf Bachmann <obachman@mathematik.uni-kl.de> + and many others. +Maintained by: Many creative people. +Send bugs and suggestions to <texi2html-bug@nongnu.org> +--> +<head> +<title>Free Software, Free Society, 2nd ed.: 37. The Problem Is Software Controlled by Its Developer</title> + +<meta name="description" content="This is the second edition of Richard Stallman's collection of essays."> +<meta name="keywords" content="Free Software, Free Society, 2nd ed.: 37. The Problem Is Software Controlled by Its Developer"> +<meta name="resource-type" content="document"> +<meta name="distribution" content="global"> +<meta name="Generator" content="texi2html 1.82"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +a.summary-letter {text-decoration: none} +blockquote.smallquotation {font-size: smaller} +pre.display {font-family: serif} +pre.format {font-family: serif} +pre.menu-comment {font-family: serif} +pre.menu-preformatted {font-family: serif} +pre.smalldisplay {font-family: serif; font-size: smaller} +pre.smallexample {font-size: smaller} +pre.smallformat {font-family: serif; font-size: smaller} +pre.smalllisp {font-size: smaller} +span.roman {font-family:serif; font-weight:normal;} +span.sansserif {font-family:sans-serif; font-weight:normal;} +ul.toc {list-style: none} +--> +</style> +<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../style.css"> + + +</head> + +<body lang="en" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#800080" alink="#FF0000"> + +<a name="Root-of-Problem"></a> +<header><div id="logo"><img src="../gnu.svg" height="100" width="100"></div><h1>Free Software, Free Society, 2nd ed.</h1></header><section id="main"><a name="The-Problem-Is-Software-Controlled-by-Its-Developer"></a> +<h1 class="chapter"> 37. The Problem Is Software Controlled by Its Developer </h1> + +<a name="index-Zittrain_002c-Jonathan"></a> +<p>I fully agree with Jonathan Zittrain’s conclusion that we should not +abandon general-purpose computers. Alas, I disagree completely with +the path that led him to it. He presents serious security problems as +an intolerable crisis, but I’m not convinced. Then he forecasts that +users will panic in response and stampede toward restricted computers +(which he calls “appliances”), but there is no sign of this happening. +</p> +<a name="index-zombie-machines"></a> +<a name="index-phishing"></a> +<p>Zombie machines are a problem, but not a catastrophe. Moreover, far +from panicking, most users ignore the issue. Today, people are indeed +concerned about the danger of phishing (mail and web pages that +solicit personal information for fraud), but using a browsing-only +device instead of a general computer won’t protect you from that. +</p> +<a name="index-Apple_002c-iPhone-_0028see-also-cell-phones_0029"></a> +<p>Meanwhile, Apple has reported that 25 percent of iPhones have been +unlocked. Surely at least as many users would have preferred an +unlocked iPhone but were afraid to try a forbidden recipe to obtain +it. This refutes the idea that users generally prefer that their +devices be locked. +</p> +<a name="index-RealPlayer-_0028see-also-DRM_0029-1"></a> +<a name="index-Adobe-Flash"></a> +<a name="index-proprietary-software_002c-spying-on-users-1"></a> +<p>It is true that a general computer lets you run programs designed to +spy on you, restrict you, or even let the developer attack you. Such +programs include +<a name="index-KaZaA-_0028see-also-both-DRM-and-treacherous-computing_0029-1"></a> +KaZaA, RealPlayer, Adobe Flash, +<a name="index-Windows-Media-Player-_0028see-also-both-DRM-and-treacherous-computing_0029-2"></a> +Windows Media Player, +Microsoft +<a name="index-Windows-4"></a> +Windows, and MacOS. +<a name="index-Windows_002c-Vista-1"></a> +<a name="index-Vista_002c-Windows-_0028see-also-both-Windows-and-DRM_0029-1"></a> +Windows Vista does all three of those +things; it also lets Microsoft change the software without asking, or +command it to permanently cease normal functioning. +</p> +<p>But restricted computers are no help, because they present the +same problem for the same reason. +</p> +<p>The iPhone is designed for remote attack by Apple. When Apple remotely +destroys iPhones that users have unlocked to enable other uses, that +is no better than when Microsoft remotely sabotages +<a name="index-Vista_002c-Windows-_0028see-also-both-Windows-and-DRM_0029-2"></a> +Vista. The +<a name="index-TiVo-_0028see-also-tivoization_0029"></a> +<a name="index-tivoization-5"></a> +TiVo is +designed to enforce restrictions on access to the recordings you make, +and reports what you watch. +<a name="index-e_002dbooks-4"></a> +E-book readers such as the +<a name="index-Amazon-2"></a> +Amazon +<a name="index-Swindle-2"></a> +“Swindle” are designed to stop you from sharing and lending your +books. Features that artificially obstruct use of your data are known +<a name="index-DRM_002c-call-it-_0060_0060Digital-Restrictions-Management_0027_0027-5"></a> +<a name="index-_0060_0060Digital-Rights-Management_002c_0027_0027-avoid-use-of-term-_0028see-also-DRM_0029-1"></a> +as Digital Restrictions Management (DRM); our protest campaign against +DRM is hosted at +<a name="index-Defective-by-Design-_0028see-also-DRM_0029-4"></a> +<a href="http://defectivebydesign.org">http://defectivebydesign.org</a>. (Our adversaries call DRM +“Digital Rights Management” based on their idea that restricting you +is their right. When you choose a term, you choose your side.) +</p> +<p>The nastiest of the common restricted devices are +<a name="index-cell-phones-_0028see-also-both-OpenMoko-and-Apple_0029"></a> +cell phones. They +transmit signals for tracking your whereabouts even when switched +“off”; the only way to stop this is to take out all the +batteries. Many can also be turned on remotely, for listening, +unbeknownst to you. (The +<a name="index-FBI-1"></a> +FBI is already taking advantage of this +feature, and the +<a name="index-Commerce-Department_002c-US"></a> +US Commerce Department lists this danger in its +Security Guide.) Cellular phone network companies regularly install +software in users phones, without asking, to impose new usage +restrictions. +</p> +<p>With a general computer you can escape by rejecting such programs. You +don’t have to have KaZaA, RealPlayer, Adobe Flash, +<a name="index-Windows-Media-Player-_0028see-also-both-DRM-and-treacherous-computing_0029-3"></a> +Windows Media +Player, Microsoft Windows or +<a name="index-MacOS-_0028see-also-DRM_0029"></a> +MacOS on your computer (I don’t). By +contrast, a restricted computer gives you no escape from the software +built into it. +<a name="index-KaZaA-_0028see-also-both-DRM-and-treacherous-computing_0029-2"></a> +<a name="index-Adobe-Flash-1"></a> +<a name="index-RealPlayer-_0028see-also-DRM_0029-2"></a> +</p> +<a name="index-development_002c-developer-control"></a> +<p>The root of this problem, both in general PCs and restricted +computers, is software controlled by its developer. The developer +(typically a corporation) controls what the program does, and prevents +everyone else from changing it. If the developer decides to put in +malicious features, even a master programmer cannot easily remove +them. +</p> +<a name="index-users_002c-benefit-to-4"></a> +<a name="index-call-to-action_002c-insist-on-free-software"></a> +<p>The remedy is to give the users more control, not less. We must insist +on free/libre software, software that the users are free to change and +redistribute. Free/libre software develops under the control of its +users: if they don’t like its features, for whatever reason, they can +change them. If you’re not a programmer, you still get the benefit of +control by the users. A programmer can make the improvements you would +like, and publish the changed version. Then you can use it too. +</p> +<a name="index-malware"></a> +<p>With free/libre software, no one has the power to make a malicious +feature stick. Since the source code is available to the users, +millions of programmers are in a position to spot and remove the +malicious feature and release an improved version; surely someone +will do it. Others can then compare the two versions +to verify independently which version treats users right. As a practical +fact, free software is generally free of designed-in malware. +</p> +<a name="index-call-to-action_002c-price-deception"></a> +<p>Many people do acquire restricted devices, but not for motives of +security. Why do people choose them? +</p> +<p>Sometimes it is because the restricted devices are physically +smaller. I edit text all day (literally) and I find the keyboard and +screen of a laptop well worth the size and weight. However, people who +use computers differently may prefer something that fits in a +pocket. In the past, these devices have typically been restricted, but +they weren’t chosen for that reason. +</p> +<p>Now they are becoming less restricted. In fact, the +<a name="index-OpenMoko-_0028see-also-cell-phones_0029"></a> +OpenMoko cell +phone features a main computer running entirely free/libre software, +including the GNU/Linux operating system normally used on PCs and +servers. +</p> +<a name="index-games_002c-price-deception-and"></a> +<p>A major cause for the purchase of some restricted computers is +financial sleight of hand. Game consoles, and the iPhone, are sold for an +unsustainably low price, and the manufacturers subsequently charge when you use +them. Thus, game developers must pay the game console manufacturer to +distribute a game, and they pass this cost on to the +user. Likewise, +<a name="index-AT_0026T"></a> +AT&T pays Apple when an iPhone is used as a +telephone. The low up-front price misleads customers into thinking +they will save money. +<a name="index-Apple_002c-iPhone-_0028see-also-cell-phones_0029-1"></a> +</p> +<p>If we are concerned about the spread of restricted computers, we +should tackle the issue of the price deception that sells them. +If we are concerned about malware, we should insist on free +software that gives the users control. +<a name="index-call-to-action_002c-price-deception-1"></a> +<a name="index-malware-1"></a> +</p> +<a name="Postnote"></a> +<h3 class="subheading"> Postnote </h3> + +<a name="index-development_002c-patents-2"></a> +<p>Zittrain’s suggestion to reduce the statute of limitations +on software patent lawsuits is a tiny step in the right direction, but +it is much easier to solve the whole problem. Software patents are an +unnecessary, artificial danger imposed on all software developers and +users in the US. Every program is a combination of many methods and +techniques—thousands of them in a large program. If patenting these +methods is allowed, then hundreds of those used in a given program are +probably patented. (Avoiding them is not feasible; there may be no +alternatives, or the alternatives may be patented too.) So the +developers of the program face hundreds of potential lawsuits from +parties unknown, and the users can be sued as well. +</p> +<p>The complete, simple solution is to eliminate patents from the field +of software. Since the patent system is created by statute, eliminating +patents from software will be easy given sufficient political +will. (See <a href="http://www.endsoftpatents.org">http://www.endsoftpatents.org</a>.) +<a name="index-Zittrain_002c-Jonathan-1"></a> +</p><hr size="2"> +<table cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" border="0"> +<tr><td valign="middle" align="left">[<a href="scrap1_36.html#X" title="Previous section in reading order"> < </a>]</td> +<td valign="middle" align="left">[<a href="scrap1_38.html#No-Word-Attachments" title="Next section in reading order"> > </a>]</td> +<td valign="middle" align="left"> </td> +<td valign="middle" align="left">[Contents]</td> +<td valign="middle" align="left">[<a href="scrap1_U.4.html#Index" title="Index">Index</a>]</td> +<td valign="middle" align="left">[<a href="scrap1_abt.html#SEC_About" title="About (help)"> ? </a>]</td> +</tr></table> +<p> + <font size="-1"> + This document was generated by <em>Christian Grothoff</em> on <em>February 18, 2016</em> using <a href="http://www.nongnu.org/texi2html/"><em>texi2html 1.82</em></a>. + </font> + <br> + +</p> +</body> +</html> |