[lug] FSF plans Apple Genuis Bar "denial of service"

[Jason Schaefer]

On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 3:01 AM, Nate Duehr <nate at natetech.com> wrote:
>
> On Jul 27, 2008, at 10:54 PM, David L. Anselmi wrote:
>
>> and rather than assume the media labels are correct, read the original
>> idea as well as the "5 reasons" page that started it:
>>
>> http://www.defectivebydesign.org/apple-challenge
>
>
> By the way, I did read it.  And the title of the article that spawned this
> little "movement" was called "5 Reasons to Avoid the iPhone".
>
> So avoid it.  Don't buy it.  Stay out of the store.  Go away.  Done!
>
> ----
>
> By the way, for completeness -- the reasons were these -- along with some
> comments from me:
>
> • iPhone completely blocks free software. Developers must pay a tax to
> Apple, who becomes the sole authority over what can and can't be on
> everyone's phones.  (Gee, an integrated software and hardware company -- not
> many of those around anymore either -- that understands how pissed off their
> customers are going to be if they load some dumb-ass developer's crap that
> doesn't work.  As a consumer of the last two decades of CRAP from most
> software companies, I applaud this decision on their part to want final say
> over what can get to the phone and what can't.)
>
> • iPhone endorses and supports Digital Restrictions Management (DRM)
> technology.  (So does anyone else who wants to sell most content worth
> having.  I haven't seen any sit-ins in Best Buy wanting them to stop
> stocking DVD or BlueRay players from various manufacturers, but every one of
> those players has DRM in it.  Some dude smarter that most cracked DVD
> encryption and the whiners don't complain so much now that they can load his
> illegal hack -- but no real open-source or other large money company has
> bothered to just package in properly licensed legal playback of DVD content
> to this day.  "It'd be the best OS on the planet, if we could just stop
> people wanting things we don't want!  What?  Come over and watch a movie
> this weekend?  Sure... I'm there dude.  I'll bring the Cheetos and Coke.
>  Oh, wait Cheetos and Coke are trademarks, I'll have to get generic brands
> to avoid those big company evil legal issues they have with that product.
>  Dude?  Did you hang up on me?  Dude?"  When Freetard and his friends stop
> watching movies put out on DVD that have CSS on them, I'll listen to their
> whining about DRM.)
>
> • iPhone exposes your whereabouts and provides ways for others to track you
> without your knowledge.  (So do most GPS-enabled cell phones.  People even
> buy such things -- like SPOT, LoJack, and even stuff you load on a laptop in
> hopes of getting it back if you lose it.  Some people don't care.  Really.
>  Oh, and you know how to defeat it?  Take the fucking phone and put it in a
> metal briefcase.  Whoop dee fuckin' doo.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist
> to block 800 MHz through 2 GHz radio waves.  Really paranoid?  Crack open
> the phone, find the GPS module and unplug it.  It also helps if you don't do
> crazy shit where someone wants to track you, but hey... we all know the
> paranoia and conspiracy theorists will jump all over that one and say that
> government has time to chase normal people around doing normal things just
> to harass them, mmm... yeah.  Because you know, they're not busy doing
> anything else... and the citizens wouldn't rise up and kick all their asses
> if they tried that crap.  Oh wait, citizens don't want guns anymore...)
>
> • iPhone won't play patent- and DRM-free formats like Ogg Vorbis and Theora.
>  (Yeah, because that's what Apple's shareholders and management want... to
> play formats they don't sell.  Duh.  Want a Ogg player or a Theora player?
>  People make them.  Go buy one and be happy.)
>
> • iPhone is not the only option. There are better alternatives on the
> horizon that respect your freedom, don't spy on you, play free media
> formats, and let you use free software -- like the FreeRunner.  (So fucking
> buy one.  Oh wait, you said "on the horizon".  Well, if they ever figure out
> a business model that works, and make it past the "on the horizon" stage,
> then definitely buy one.  How about investing in their company as an angel
> investor now?  Take some risks and put your money where your mouth is.  I
> hear OpenMoko can send SMS messages finally.  Impressive shit, that
> open-source cell phone is.  Send FreeRunner your life savings and if it ever
> gets to market, be overjoyed and happy.)
>
> That was an AMAZING list of reasons.  I bet if you put that on the Net, all
> the news media will cover it and no one will buy an iPhone because your
> reasons are so powerful and important.  You've done the country and your
> fellow citizens a great service!  What?  No one cares?  Awwww... poor guys.
>  Better think harder for some more reasons, 'cause you know... Apple, Inc.
> is the Great DRM Satan, I think.
>
> And for the record, I'm not an iPhone fan (yet) -- haven't bought one, and
> the Blackberry Bold looks more interesting to me.  Guess what?  It plays
> DRM'ed stuff too.
>
> Alert the Freetards!  Put up a website!  Get organized!  Let's all head up
> to Waterloo, Ontario and stage a cum-ba-yah sit-in at Research-In-Motion...
> oh crap, I forgot... that's not the right way...
>
> Let's all go sit in every AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and whoever else carries
> RIM products stores, and annoy them with Freetard questions!  That'll show
> 'em!  Those evil DRM loving Canadians!
>
> Yeah, now we have SIX reasons not to buy one of THOSE, and number six is
> that Canadians pay a tax on blank media, so their government and people must
> be already so brainwashed by the DRM anal-probe that we can NEVER do
> business with them!
>
> RUN... RUN FOR YOUR LIVES.  IPHONE ISN'T THE DEVIL, THE BLACKBERRY IS!  THEY
> TALK TO SERVERS IN CANADA FOR GOD'S SAKE!  RUUUUUUUNNNN!
>
> (That was fun.)
>
> --
> Nate Duehr
> nate at natetech.com

Nate - you are legitimately sounding like a crazed loon. 90% of what
you say is not even justified by a response. I hate to tell you this
way but this is a LUG mailing list, your posts are getting a little
agro and the appropriate place to post this would be on your blog.

I would like to add, that freedom throughout history has and always
will been a HUGE struggle. Don't forget that history repeats itself.
It scares me to hear people who are so willing to sacrifice all sorts
of freedoms. Obviously there is a lot of mis-information out there and
consumers heads are spinning from all the tech hype. Its important to
educate people about something as important as digital freedom. As
technology becomes an even greater part of our lives it will be
crucial that we take control. If we have the attitude you have now, we
will find ourselves with absolutely no options and no control. I think
its critical that people are raising awareness to these issues! For an
awareness movement to be successful, they need to get out/up and act!

If we don't protect our digital freedom now, we won't have any in the
years to come.. its pretty simple, actually.

-Jason