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● 07.28.10

●● What to Make of Apple…

Posted in Apple, FSF at 5:55 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Should Free software supporters just let Apple be? Should Apple be defended?

I HAVE just been involved in a discussion about Apple’s nature in Groklaw.net. For many months I have abstained from bringing up the subject as I foresaw it leading to unnecessary friction. The straw that broke this camel’s back is Groklaw’s suggestion that hypePhone 4 has no exceptional antenna issues and that claims about those antenna issues originate in (or got exaggerated by) Microsoft. So anyway, I raised the subject politely and received polite answers from regulars of Groklaw, as in those who regularly participate in the discussions.

=> ↺ discussion about Apple’s nature

It has taken up a lot of time this morning and it’s basically about whether we — Free software or GNU/Linux supporters — should defend Apple or not. Apple is no "David" (as in David versus Goliath), but that’s not the point. The point is that Apple does a lot to harm software freedom and the Free Software Foundation definitely agrees about that. Over at Slashdot there is currently a discussion about the arrogant nature of Apple and some of its customers. To quote just the opening:

=> is no "David" | ↺ at Slashdot | ↺ the arrogant nature of Apple and some of its customers

It’s not exactly official, but should also surprise no one: According to a new study the psychological profile of iPad owners can be summed up as “selfish elites” while have-not critics are “independent geeks.”

Over the years I have sent about 1,000 E-mails to Groklaw (probably more than that), but Apple is the only issue where I disagree with Groklaw. So my question is, am I misled in my criticism of Apple? Is the truth perhaps somewhere in between (between the stance of Techrights and the stance of Groklaw)? Thoughts welcome… █

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