[ Thanks to Glyn
Moody for this link. ]
“In a first of a new regular column for The H, Glyn
Moody looks at the iPad: Most people seem to agree that the iPad is
a slick piece of technology, and quite plausibly represents the
next generation of computing devices. But many feel that the very
qualities that make it so desirable also make it profoundly
problematic, not least for free software.“Mind fattening
“It was to be expected that the Free Software Foundation (FSF)
would be against it – after all, the FSF sets such a high bar
that few activities manage to win its approval.“And its criticisms are certainly valid:
“DRM is used by Apple to restrict users’ freedom in a variety of
ways, including blocking installation of software that comes from
anywhere except the official Application Store, and regulating
every use of movies downloaded from iTunes. Apple furthermore
claims that circumventing these restrictions is a criminal offence,
even for purposes that are permitted by copyright law.”