Re: FSF continuously harms Free Hardware

[Jean Louis]

* Jacob Hrbek <kreyren@rixotstudio.cz> [2022-02-01 09:16]:
> > Your reference to "Router Freedom" is not in the context of free
> hardware design. It is in the context of Internet providers that will
> give the Internet access to user under condition that only their
> suggested router is used. That is quite different issue and it is not
> relevant to free hardware designs. -- Louis
> 
> it may seem like it, but router freedom is important in the EU as the
> ISP are forcing their own and proprietary routers and FSFE's campaign
> enables a lot of people to use their own router which are often Free
> Hardware e.g. in Czechia and partially thanks to FSFE's campaign we have
> a lot of people doing self-ISP and providing internet to others, see
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Internet_service_provider and it
> seems that majority of those WISP solutions are open-source but don't
> quote me on it.

Sure, however, it is deviation of your first statement. You pointed
out how FSFE is talking about free hardware designs, while in reality
it was about "router freedom" related to Internet providers. It is not
related to free hardware designs.

How I see that situation, those Internet providers could as well use
hardware designed under free license and yet compel users to use their
router. I hope you can see that hypothetical situation as it is not
related to free hardware design issue, it is related probably to
easier configuration and minimization of expenses in the company's
business. I can imagine thousands of people inquiring for thousands of
different routers on how to configure the connection and money being
spent for nothing. I can fully understand such companies but I also
like to use my own router.

> That said I don't believe that FSFE is currently in a position to do
> more in terms of Free Hardware, but it seems that majority of it's
> members are very interested in it.

Though all that is not related to free hardware design. Router Freedom
is not related to free hardware.

FSF and FSFE may have its philosophy as common factor, but are not
directly related organizations, they are separate. Feel free to write
them directly.

-- 
Jean

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