@tindall@cybre.space @elmiko@mastodon.technology Voting with money, supporting companies like these, making them less fragile and their products less expensive, sounds like a more plausible plan to me than sabotaging MS into not being evil (?!) 🤔
@m0xee @tindall @elmiko There's nothing wrong with trying to vote with your dollar and trying to support better alternatives, I certainly do, but the fact is that these companies act the way they do because that is what's most successful given the ruleset handed down by capitalism. Actual regulation or, better yet, ditching capitalism entirely are the only ways to actually begin to address the problem here.
Those with disposable income can do all they want to support companies trying to do the right thing, but even with that they'll never be able to compete with the low costs that become possible from extracting every cent possible like the giants do.
@vanilla @tindall@cybre.space @elmiko@mastodon.technology Buying from companies that squeeze every cent including by paying workers less is not a proper way to abolish capitalism 😋
If you are low on funds just buy older hardware — used hardware. This way you do not support evil corporations AND help reducing e-waste. I'm still using an HP laptop from 2013 myself. I've upgraded RAM to 16 gigs, added a 1Tb SSD, installed #VoidLinux — and it is extremely good at everything I throw at it except for 4k video!
@vanilla I agree, we can't solve every problem out there with this, but we already did a lot to shake the Intel-Microsoft monopoly. Google got more dangerous than MS ever was in the process, but that's a different story.
We have somewhat open hardware, free ROMs for phones and truly free smartphones by Purism and Pine64, we have federated social networks and federated IM. Yes, most people don't use better alternatives, but honestly, I don't see modern world as some kind dystopia tech-wise.
@m0xee The thing is, neither is buying from System 76 or Pine64 or getting everything used. You're not going to ethically consume your way out of this problem.
I'd certainly encourage people to buy used: it means less waste! I'd also encourage them to buy hardware that is more open: it means they get devices which respect them! There are real benefits! But there is no future where a ton of people choose to put their financial realities aside and flip the industry on its head by simply buying something else. It will not happen, ever.
Open hardware and free software are beautiful things, but they can't change the world on their own.