Free software, free society: Richard Stallman at TEDxGeneva 2014
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN uses it constantly as the reference for the argument that either the user controls the software or the software controls the user, and it is recommended as a basic introduction.
What it is
Richard Stallman's TEDxGeneva 2014 talk describing how nonfree programs give companies control over users and what users can do to regain control. It introduces the free software movement and the four freedoms.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2014 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Recommends arfar · 2015-03 · on “VMWare Taken to Court Over GPL Violation”
You and all of the "Free Software" world have different definitions on free. I'd recommend this[1] talk by Richard Stallman, it's pretty basic, but it gets the idea across well. [1] [this video]
Recommends thesuperbigfrog · 2020-10 · on “Some Thoughts on Windows 10”
Sounds very frustrating. I don't use Windows on any of the computers I own. I prefer to have more control over my computer so I use Linux. I still have to use Windows at work, but I don't admin those machines so I don't have a lot of control / choice in the matter. Food for thought about who controls your computer: [this video]
Recommends thesuperbigfrog · 2023-06 · on “Linux Is Free If You Don't Value Your Time”
Windows is closed source, full of ads and telemetry, and increasingly user hostile. MacOS is a mostly closed source, expensive, user-condescending walled garden. Linux, BSDs, and free / open source operating systems give the user freedom and control over their computing experience: [this video]
Recommends thesuperbigfrog · 2023-06 · on “We need more of Richard Stallman, not less”
The four freedoms that free software guarantee are essential for people to be in control of their own computing. Are you in control of your computer, or does your computer control you? [this video] People get angry and frustrated when a big tech company makes a decision that is user-hostile, but benefits the tech company's profits. This is to be expected because in almost all cases, the big tech company has no obligation other than to maximize profits. The four freedoms help to put a check on the power of big tech companies by providing alternatives that keep power in the hands of the user. That does not mean that free software and big tech companies cannot coexist or even thrive together. Red Ha
Cites rian · 2014-12 · on “The JavaScript Trap”
"Open Source" terminology emphasizes its technical superiority as a development method. "Free Software" terminology emphasizes its ethical necessity to maintain a free society. One is technical, one is political/ideological. Open source advocates don't care about politics, Free software advocates think technical superiority is unimportant in a non-free society. Stallman's own words on this distinction in this video: [this video]
Cites thesuperbigfrog · 2020-12 · on “Macs with T2, M1 chips cannot be restored to factory state without Apple”
Apple may sell you a computer, but ultimately you do not control it. Who really controls your computer: [this video]
Cites augustk · 2021-01 · on “Can't uninstall Adobe apps without an account (2018)”
As Richard Stallman puts it "either the user controls the program or the program controls the user." [this video]
Cites thesuperbigfrog · 2021-06 · on “Ask HN: Could Microsoft restrict access to file backups via Microsoft Account?”
>> if Microsoft were to ban my account [1], could they then stop me from opening my backup files on a new machine, even if I made a new account? If your documents are tagged with the banned account info, it certainly seems possible. It seems like a really dirty thing to do, but there are lots of HN users who are against the Microsoft account requirement for Windows 11: [LINK] Possible issues like these are one reason why free and open source software exist: [this video]