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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/free-software-rocket.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/free-software-rocket.html index f4663a6..6b58f45 100644 --- a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/free-software-rocket.html +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/free-software-rocket.html @@ -17,21 +17,23 @@ answering that question may illuminate similar issues about the sorts of products people really buy today.</p> <p>As far as I know, software as such is not capable of generating -thrust. A rocket is necessarily principally a physical device. But -it may include computerized control and telemetry systems, and thus -software.</p> +thrust. A rocket is necessarily principally a physical device, so it +can't literally <em>be</em> free software. But it may include +computerized control and telemetry systems, and thus software.</p> <p>If someone offered to sell me a rocket, I would treat it like any other appliance. Consider, for instance, a thermostat. If it contains software to be modified, all the software in it needs to be -free. If, however, the software in it need not ever be altered, and -it communicates <em>only</em> through some limited interface, such as buttons -on the control panel, a TV remote control, or a USB interface with a -fixed set of commands, I would not consider it crucial to know what is inside -the thermostat: whether it contains a special-purpose chip, or a -processor running code, makes no direct difference to me as user. If -it does contain code, it might as well have a special chip instead, so -I don't need to care which it is.</p> +free, and I alone should have the authority to decide whether to +install some change. If, however, the software in it is not meant +ever to be altered, and it communicates <em>only</em> through some +limited interface, such as buttons on the control panel, a TV remote +control, or a USB interface with a fixed set of commands, I would not +consider it crucial to know what is inside the thermostat: whether it +contains a special-purpose chip, or a processor running code, makes no +direct difference to me as user. If it does contain code, it might as +well have a special chip instead, so I don't need to care which it +is.</p> <p>I would object if that thermostat sent someone data about my activities, regardless of how that was implemented. Once again, @@ -47,14 +49,20 @@ makes it possible for people who have bought the rockets to work on improving the software in them, though the irreversible nature of many rocket failures may discourage tinkering.</p> +<p>Readers have pointed out that SpaceX has +received <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/18/18683455/nasa-space-angels-contracts-government-investment-spacex-air-force">important +financial support from the US government</a> to develop its rockets. +By rights, accepting this support should require SpaceX to release the +rocket software under a free license, even if it uses that software +only inside its own rockets.</p> + <p>Given the experience of Tesla cars, which are full of surveillance and tracking malware that Tesla can change but the owner can't, I suppose SpaceX rockets have that too. If someday rockets are sold like today's -cars and tractors, proprietary software in them would be unjust -(<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> -https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html</a>), -and it would probably be malware (<a href="/malware/malware.html"> -https://gnu.org/malware/</a>). If the +cars and tractors, <a +href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">software in +them would be unjust</a>, and it would <a +href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">probably be malware</a>. If the manufacturer could install modified software in it but the owner could not, that too would be unjust. People are starting to recognize this: look at the right-to-repair movement, which demands only the beginning @@ -80,10 +88,16 @@ does not mean “absolutely” or “100%”), so the instructions for the job are simple (take these boxes to address A by date D).</p> -<p>But there is one kind of activity which should never be treated as a -service: private computational activity. That's because a private -computational activity is exactly what you could do on your own -computer in freedom, given suitable free software.</p> +<p>If SpaceX has released the rocket software under a free license, +that would give you the right to make, use and distribute modified +versions, but would not give you the right to modify the code running +in SpaceX's rocket.</p> + +<p>But there is a kind of activity which a hypothetical future +spaceship might do, which should never be treated as a service: private +computational activity. That's because a private computational +activity is exactly what you could do on your own computer in freedom, +given suitable free software.</p> <p>When a program's task is to do computing for you, you are entitled to demand control over what it does and how, not just that it obey your @@ -98,9 +112,8 @@ control. Even things as minutely directed by the user as text editing! This is a scheme to get you to substitute their power for your freedom. We call that “Service as a Software Substitute”, SaaSS for short (see -<a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html"> -https://gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html</a>), -and we reject it.</p> +“<a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">Who +does that server really serve?</a>”), and we reject it.</p> <p>For instance, imagine a hypothetical SpaceX Smart Spaceship, which as a “service” wants to know all about your business so SpaceX servers @@ -172,7 +185,7 @@ Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p> <p class="unprintable">Updated: <!-- timestamp start --> -$Date: 2020/10/09 11:36:53 $ +$Date: 2020/11/14 16:23:28 $ <!-- timestamp end --> </p> </div> |