this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
1065 points (97.8% liked)
Open Source
31725 readers
196 users here now
All about open source! Feel free to ask questions, and share news, and interesting stuff!
Useful Links
- Open Source Initiative
- Free Software Foundation
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Software Freedom Conservancy
- It's FOSS
- Android FOSS Apps Megathread
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to the open source ideology
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
Related Communities
- !libre_culture@lemmy.ml
- !libre_software@lemmy.ml
- !libre_hardware@lemmy.ml
- !linux@lemmy.ml
- !technology@lemmy.ml
Community icon from opensource.org, but we are not affiliated with them.
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
It's not... unpopular? Or it's not true?
I find the assumption goes the opposite way. Linux, and FOSS as a whole, often assumes the user is knowledgeable and knows what they're doing. Proprietary software often assumes the user knows nothing and will never know anything if they don't hold your hand through the entire process and obfuscate and abstract all the decisions and work to a place you won't see it, and then puts obstacles in your way to getting to it.
FOSS says, "you wanna pop the hood? Here you go, and here are all the tools you'll need to do whatever you want," and walks off.
Proprietary software says, "are you sure you don't want to drop it off at the shop first? At least call a mechanic. Tools? No, no, you don't need tools... don't go find some, there's no need, we can just call a tow truck. No, no, the nails are supposed to be there. Yeah, I nailed the hood shut. And super glued it. Well, I didn't think you'd want in there... besides, you're not a mechanic, you've got no idea how an engine works..." and once you do get in, it's peeking over your shoulder the whole time reminding you that you really shouldn't be doing that, there are professionals for that sort of thing.