ZDNet UK


Skip to Main Content

ZDNet.co.uk - Winner of Best Business Website 2007
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Blogs
  4. Reviews
  5. Prices
  6. Resources
  7. Community
  8. My ZDNet

 

ZDNet UK RSS Feeds


IT Jobs

Enterprise open source Toolkit

Story: Torvalds criticises GPL revisions

  • Previous comment

Posted by: Peter Mattsson (Monday 31 July 2006, 1:19 PM)

  • Reply

Linus's example doesn't really hold water for me. If I buy a piece of hardware and want to install new software on it, that should be up to me.

I quite understand that hardware manufacturers only want to support and guarantee software they supply -- they'd be crazy to do otherwise -- but I should still be free to do as I please, on the understanding that I will get no support and possibly even void the warranty by doing so. If I'm willing to take full responsibility for my actions, and accept that anything bad that happens as a result is my own stupid fault and nothing to do with the manufacturer, then where's the problem?

(The argument that users should be protected from themselves is too nannyish for me. Anyone capable of installing new software on e.g. a TiVo is also likely to be capable of understanding the possible consequences of their actions.)

  • Previous comment

  • Reply to this comment
  • Return to story
  • Report this as offensive


Full Talkback thread


Featured Talkback

Its the applications and device drivers that run on windows that cement its dominance. How many people would fork out hundreds of pounds for Vista if Linux ran all the software and kit they wanted to use.

By: pround

Read full story:
Windows' dominance stifles demand for Linux