Silicon Valley and The New Feudalism: Why the 'Internet of Things' Marks a Return...

[???]

If you use open source software, it doesn't much matter.

I do prefer to view the hardware and software separately, at least. When I buy hardware, whether a phone or a tablet or a computer, it should be completely up to me what software I put on it, and I will acquire that separately. If merchants want to make various options available for preinstallation at the time of purchase - fine, but no default forcing Windows down people's throat with all its adware and bloatware. Same with Android or whatever is on one's phone.

Can you buy open source cell phones though? I'd love that to be a thing. But every phone I've owned had to have the boot loader hacked to install anything other than the proprietary firmware and OS. I'd prefer this extended to hardware too; consumers should get basic service manuals for at least how to disassemble, check, and change out parts, similar to cars.

 

[The Cat]

But then how would they be able to overcharge us?

 

[EcK]

Guys, its just capitalism abolishing personal proprietorship, for the masses, concentrating what remains in a shrinking number of classes.

Guess who considered that foreseeable all the way back at the beginning of the industrial revolution when he and his best bud factory owner saw the earliest examples of steam powered ploughs putting agri-workers of the land and into the new towns and cities?

First name K _ _ L, second name M _ _ X.

The founder of the most murderous ideology in human history, yes, let's use him as a role model.

 

[Lark]

The founder of the most murderous ideology in human history, yes, let's use him as a role model.

It'd take a fool to think so but then there's no shortage of fools.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Coriolis]

Can you buy open source cell phones though? I'd love that to be a thing. But every phone I've owned had to have the boot loader hacked to install anything other than the proprietary firmware and OS. I'd prefer this extended to hardware too; consumers should get basic service manuals for at least how to disassemble, check, and change out parts, similar to cars.

A couple years ago, people were developing a phone based on linux. I don't think it ever reached the market. So, with phones you do indeed need to do what you suggest and root it. As for HW, I build my own computers, so know them inside out to begin with. I started doing this after realizing how useless most "customer support" from vendors is.

The founder of the most murderous ideology in human history, yes, let's use him as a role model.

Really? I suspect more people have been killed in the name of Jesus Christ than Karl Marx.