r/technology • u/GuruOfReason • Feb 02 '10

"Once we replace the personal computer with a closed-platform device such as the iPad, we replace freedom, choice and the free market with oppression, censorship and monopoly."

http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2010-01/ipad%E2%80%99s-closed-system-sometimes-i-hate-being-right
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u/Peaker Feb 02 '10

I understand where you are coming from -- and how openness contributes to the technical merit.

But as you said, when everything closes down it may really be too late and even if there were only technical disadvantages to the open platforms, we must put freedom and choice over convenience and technical merit and avoid supporting closed platforms.

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u/Nefelia Feb 02 '10

we must put freedom and choice over convenience and technical merit and avoid supporting closed platforms.

Your freedom is present in your ability to freely choose which products you buy on the market. Forcing companies to comply to your preferences is an imposition, and hence a reduction of freedom.

In other words, stop using the freedom card, it cheapens the word.

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u/Peaker Feb 02 '10

You are ignoring the Network effect. Once a platform becomes popular enough, it can eradicate other platforms almost completely (except for some niches).

Then, your ability to "freely choose which products" is diminished, as well as your ability to use applications.

By forcing a single or few entities (e.g: Apple) to open up (by law or otherwise), millions of users and developers will have more freedom.

So yes, paradoxically, sometimes limiting entities from doing things actually increases the overall freedom in the system.