alt Hacker NewsI HATE this argument. If the PC had been locked down like smartphones are today, we would never have had Linux on the desktop.
Also, replace "consumers" by "people" who might need to control their devices to do things that may be against the interests of the manufacturer, like removing ads and surveillance.
Replies
charcircuit • yesterday at 9:55 PM
>we would never have had Linux on the desktop.
In such an alternate timeline there may be another operating system even better than Linux.
we would never have had Linux at all
Maybe sco and similar would have managed to fight against windows, but i suspect online would be decades behind what it is without the freedom we knew in the 80s and 90s that so many HN pundits are salivating to grow away.
Maybe a minitel system would be better - we would t have the problems of social media at least.