He’s not giving viable alternatives! He just says “don’t use this, don’t do that”. That’s not constructive at all, just the opposite.
Times have changed, people change, technology changes. I was against using a smart device up until about 3 or 4 years ago, until I realized how way way behind I was behind everyone and how practical it can be. While everyone was just carrying around their phone and took pics of things that they needed to remember, I had to do the same with a camera… not to mention I had to remember to bring it with me every time I might need it (and you can’t always know upfront if you’re gonna need it or not). On the other hand, my phone is always with me, regardless if I need a camera or not.
This is just an example, there are so many other examples that make life easier. RMS and the FSF has nothing to offer, nothing to put on the table as a viable alternative, except “don’t use that”. They could have so much money flowing into the FSF just by copyright lawsuits, they could practically be swimming in money, but no, they decide to do everything on a volentary basis. You can’t win if the playing field is always tilted towards the corps. You can only win if you play with their rules, and their rules are, invest money! They can have enough money to invest in devs as well, devs that will probably make a viable alternative of an OS to actually run on phones and be completely open sources, but… no, that’s against their practices and beliefs 😒.
Well, I’m sorry but, you don’t offer anything, just forbid things. Maybe I really don’t want to use this or that technology, but it makes my life easier, so I’d rather use it than not 🤷. Saying “don’t do this, don’t do that” is the exact same mentality that PM has regarding stuff that doesn’t work with the browser. “Just don’t visit those sites”. What? It’s a browser, it fails at it’s primary purpose, to browse websites. I’m sorry, but that is unacceptable. When your product doesn’t fulfill it’s primary purpose and your only reaction is “just don’t do that”, you need to seriously rethink what you’re doing and in which direction this project is going.
Why didn’t you bring a small notepad, easily fitted in a pocket or small bag to take notes of things to remember, instead of a camera? Dumb phones may have had note functionalities too, I’m not sure.
Stallman gives plenty of alternatives instead of just forbidding technology, but you’re gonna brand them ‘non-viable’ so there’s no reason to give you a list.
Because I’d have to remember to take a piece of paper and a pen as well 😒. Cuz who carries a piece of paper and a pen nowadays, practically no one.
And you can’t always just write down things. Let’s say I’d have to write down wirings of cables. Digital cameras are a godsend regarding these things, you take a few shots before you disassemble, done deal, that’s it. Instead of endlessly writing down color codes, markings and whatnot.
The alternatives are not viable in this day and age. They take away too much time because you either do things like they were done 20+ years ago, or jumping through hoops to avoid certain things, to, once again, achieve the same thing that can be achieved in 2 clicks/taps if we just use the corps’es evil software.
I am sorry, but that is not an alternative. It’s like saying that you can’t use lawnmowers or trimmers from now on, you can only use a sickle. Why? Well, they run proprietery software, thus are bad for you… would you seriously consider that, or just say “man, you’re nuts!” and just continue to use them anyway?
Do you also consider remembering to take your wallet and phone with you a hassle? You’re creating an issue where there isn’t one.
But OK, have a smartphone and use it to take photo-notes, I do that too. But I also try to use libre alternatives for software even if they are not as good as their proprietary counterparts, because that’s the right thing to do for a lot of reasons.
Also funny that you’re mentioning lawnmowers, because tractors have a huge issue with proprietary software, with farmers having to resort to hacking their (bought!) vehicles in order to repair them, to avoid paying thousands of dollars to John Deere for “authorized” (read: extorted) repairs.
You agree that the corpos are “evil” and yet you do nothing to avoid using their software, you’re not willing to be discomforted in the slightest for a good cause. That’s worse than Stallman’s approach, in my book.
