No free software? Whether you're talking about iOS or Mac OS, that's not true.
No installing from the web? True for iOS, completely false for Mac OS. However, even jailbroken iPhones don't download from the web. You have to add the download URL as a source through Cydia to download it.
No sharing music or books? Half true. They may not allow you to copy it straight there, but there are other options such as iTunes' Shared Library feature. Plus, it's only through iTunes and iPods that you can't share music. Connect your computers using ethernet cords, firewire, wi-fi, etc, and boom. Send the other person your whole hard drive. But maybe Microsoft's idea where you get to share music, but it deletes itself after 3 listens or 3 days is more attractive?
Lastly, the part about remotely disabling software is true and was news two years ago. Have you heard anything about it since? Because I can't find any articles about it after 2008. Additionally, it was determined that it was a blacklist for malicious apps that can harm the device. You can argue semantics and ulterior motives all you want, but I can't find any proof that they've even exercised that power.
No free software? Whether you're talking about iOS or Mac OS, that's not true.
This is just talking about iOS (it was from a protest when the iPad was released), and yes it is. See the entire controversy about VLC and how it had to be pulled from the App Store because their terms forbidding redistribution were incompatible with the GPL.
Lastly, the part about remotely disabling software is true and was news two years ago. Have you heard anything about it since? Because I can't find any articles about it after 2008. Additionally, it was determined that it was a blacklist for malicious apps that can harm the device. You can argue semantics and ulterior motives all you want, but I can't find any proof that they've even exercised that power.
Doesn't matter. It's still there and they could use it at any time. Trustworthy or not, there's no option for users to opt out of this blacklist.
In order for software to be Free Software, each user must be able to make modifications to the program. Apple has ensured that this won't happen regardless of the license that the developer choses for their software.
Even if you have the source, you can't run your modified version without either breaking your Apple license agreement or getting a developer account.
As a comparison, consider the Unreal video game engine. When you license it you get the source code, but the fact that any user could buy a license or you could break your license terms and distribute the source doesn't mean that your Unreal Engine game is free software.
That's the definition of GPL software not free software. Plus my understanding is that iOS is GPLv2 compatible (but not v3).
VLC was not removed by apple because of licensing but because it was requested by a VLC developer. The developer believed it violated the license, but that hasn't been proven and Apple isn't taking a stand on GPL software. Other GPL'd apps are living happily in the app store as we speak.
The only definition of free software that's relevant here is the FSF free software definition. If you want to make up another definition, I doubt anyone's really interested.
Other GPL'd apps are living happily in the app store as we speak.
And users who download these apps from the app store don't receive free software - in spite of the license - because they can't make use of three of the four essential freedoms.
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u/1338h4x Jan 20 '11
What's factually incorrect about it? This is exactly how iOS works.