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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/the-root-of-this-problem.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/the-root-of-this-problem.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7bf8ddf --- /dev/null +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/the-root-of-this-problem.html @@ -0,0 +1,220 @@ +<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> +<!-- Parent-Version: 1.90 --> +<title>The Problem Is Software Controlled By Its Developer +- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> +<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/the-root-of-this-problem.translist" --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> +<h2>The Problem Is Software Controlled By Its Developer</h2> + +<address class="byline">by Richard Stallman</address> + +<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> + +<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> + +<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> + +<p> +It is true that a general computer lets you run programs designed to +<a href="/philosophy/proprietary.html">spy on you, restrict you, or +even let the developer attack you</a>. Such programs include KaZaA, +RealPlayer, Adobe Flash Player, Windows Media Player, Microsoft +Windows, and MacOS. 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 [<a href="#note1">1</a>].</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 Vista. The TiVo is +designed to enforce restrictions on access to the recordings you make, +and reports what you watch. E-book readers such as the Amazon +“<a href="/philosophy/why-call-it-the-swindle">Swindle</a>” +are designed to stop you from sharing and lending your +books. Features that artificially obstruct use of your data are known +as Digital Restrictions Management (DRM); our protest campaign against +DRM is hosted +at <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 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 FBI is already taking advantage of this +feature, and the 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, Windows Media +Player, Microsoft Windows or MacOS on your computer (I don't). By +contrast, a restricted computer gives you no escape from the software +built into it.</p> + +<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> + +<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> + +<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> + +<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 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> + +<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, 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.</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.</p> + +<div class="column-limit"></div> +<h3 style="font-size: 1.2em">Postnote</h3> + +<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>.)</p> + +<h3 style="font-size: 1.2em">Footnote</h3> + +<p id="note1">1. Windows Vista initially had a “kill switch” with +which Microsoft could remotely command the computer to stop +functioning. Microsoft +subsequently <a href="http://badvista.fsf.org/blog/windows-genuine-disadvantage">removed +this</a>, ceding to public pressure, but reserved the +“right” to put it back in. +</p> + +</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> +<div id="footer"> +<div class="unprintable"> + +<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to +<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. +There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> +the FSF. Broken links and other corrections or suggestions can be sent +to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> + +<p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, + replace it with the translation of these two: + + We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality + translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection. + Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard + to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org"> + <web-translators@gnu.org></a>.</p> + + <p>For information on coordinating and submitting translations of + our web pages, see <a + href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations + README</a>. --> +Please see the <a +href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations +README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting translations +of this article.</p> +</div> + +<p>Copyright © 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Richard M. Stallman</p> + +<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" +href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative +Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p> + +<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> + +<p class="unprintable">Updated: +<!-- timestamp start --> +$Date: 2020/10/06 08:25:53 $ +<!-- timestamp end --> +</p> +</div> +</div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include --> +</body> +</html> |