Linux on older laptops

[Luke-Jr]

On Tuesday 03 January 2006 19:43, you wrote:
> Luke-Jr wrote:
> > On Tuesday 03 January 2006 00:19, Richard Piper wrote:
> >> Just curious Luke, how far do you take this belief? Do you only run
> >> computers which work with a free-as-in-freedom BIOs as well?
> >
> > If I had that choice, I certainly would. Ditto for firmware and hardware.
>
> I'm sorry, but at this point, you fall off the edge of your own world.
> You claim it's immoral for an entity, be it personal or corporate,

"corporate entities" is a bug in certain legal systems, not a real thing.

> to distribute *their* creation as they see fit,

The problem is only when "they see fit" involved artificially restricting the 
rights of others.

> yet you find it reasonable to continue to use that same software/hardware?

Not when I have a choice. If I am forced to use something licensed/distributed 
immorally, well... I'm forced to use it. Not much I can do there. The new 
open-design PPC system looks promising, though.

> You *do* have that choice.

Nope.

> You could fabricate your own hardware, and then program it yourself.

I could not, as I lack the skills to design the hardware or to fabricate it.

> You *choose* to skip that step and use someone else's piece's and parts, all
> the while espousing how immoral it all is. 

I have no choice but to use the parts someone else has designed due to above 
limitations of practicality.

> >> The way I see it: the drivers aren't immoral; the company's decision to
> >> not open source the drivers was immoral.
> >
> > And your decision to buy the device and use the drivers is an act of
> > support. Now, obviously if you were given it or had already bought it,
> > that doesn't apply, but you're still sacrificing your rights and
> > piece-of-mind (who knows what backdoors these drivers might have?) by
> > using them.
>
> Are you not, according to your first paragraph, also supporting them?
> You're obviously using a computer, yet every computer that runs on non
> free-as-in-beer hardware/software is immoral?

I can only make a choice when a choice is given. If someone pushes you off a 
tower, are you at fault because you chose to continue falling?