[tlug] MS vs Google (was: Buying a Blackberry in Japan (OT))

[Attila Kinali <attila@example.com>]

On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:51:05 +0900
"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com> wrote:

>  > 3. I don't like Microsoft and don't want to see Google become the
>  >    next one.
> 
> The GPL kinda makes that difficult.  I don't exactly what the license
> terms on the entire stack are (many of the important codecs, such as
> MPEG, are patent-encumbered and can't be GPLed without giving away the
> store), but the OS, Dalvik (the VM that runs the apps), and most app
> support libraries are GPL or Apache license.

To paraphrase Wirth:  programs + data = digital power.

MS tried (and still tries) to dominate us with programs.
They locked up our data in proprietary formats, but otherwise
let us handle the way how we wanted.

Google tries to dominate us with data.
They are locking up our data within their servers
and take away the control of the data. While the
processing of the is still done to some extend on
our computers, with our programs, Google is taking
more and more of the processing pie using their code.
Yes, they are GPL/BSD/Apache/.. licensed, but it's not
the code _we_ wrote. It's not the code someone else wrote.
It's the code a single entity wrote!

Not to mention how data and programs are handled on
the web search engine, gmail, gwave,... where both
the code and the data is already past our reach.

So, i'd be double carefull with how much trust i'd give
to google.

			Attila Kinal
-- 
If you want to walk fast, walk alone.
If you want to walk far, walk together.
		-- African proverb