I was there, Gandalf, 15 years ago. I think the last virus I saw in person was closer to 25 years ago, but I've done my time in the trenches.

Locked-down app stores certainly have significant utility and even should maybe be the default depending on the device, but calling people "assholes" for asking for an escape hatch is extremely odd.

Do you want locked down hardware, or are you accepting the locked down hardware because you don't care about it either way, but are otherwise happy (very happy perhaps even) with what those platforms offer? But why can't we have both?

What bad old days? 15 years ago we had n700, n800 and n900 to run whatever we wanted on a portable device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N800 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N900

It's not a binary choice though. We have the technology for an OS to enable sideloading for people who want it and disable it for people who don't...

Surely, a bunch of assholes want to install software on your phone without your consent, but WTF does that have to do with this conversation, which is about letting you install software on your own phone?

This is confusing. No one (I know) who zealously supports open hardware also thinks that "closed ecosystem" software should be eliminated or undermined.

Making hardware friendly to multiple implementations is good for everyone.

> I want locked down hardware because of the massive benefits.

> want to rip that option away from me.

You would be free to have that option. Just like everyone else would be free to own the same hardware and escape the walled garden. Nobody would force you to unlock your device. Just keep it locked down. Other people freeing their own hardware has nothing to do with your choice.