If You’re Not Paying For It,You Become The Product
Umm… I think not for all,
Lets talk !?!
Free and Open sourced ?
Let me put some questions forward
•Well, how do they compete with their expenses ? Uh !?
•Are Donations enough for everything !?
•What about server-side things ? (because many projects doesn’t have their server-side codes opened)
•I can’t see more open sourced applications on Google play and other services ? They are not allowed there ?
Lets take an example
We all have used custom ROMs (Android phones) or else any linux distribution (For phone and PCs) and even Nethunter for phones
How all they are built ?
Custom ROMs are too customizable these days like ressurection remix, Evolution X etc…
These custom roms are too far from Stock Android and would have too much to be done by the developers apart from the base AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and the thing to be noted here is, these custom roms get updates more faster than the stock android !
Well… for now open sourced softwares can be trusted
Some question related to the topic
•Signal !!
Why it is not in F-Droid ? && what is goin on with F-Droid and Signal ?
•Is Nethunter using GSI technology ?
•Why tech giants doesn’t encourage this ?
•Leave your thoughts about Free and Open sourced softwares applications down
ofcourse profit reasons… monopoly
and fun fact they themselves use opensource stuffs
last time i checked like a year ago it was there… if it is removed now… then it’s weird !
well honestly yes… once the project is famous and is needed in the community… it does survive… people step forward to contribute… as in code or in money both ways.
The concept behind the idea that we are the product if we are not paying for a service or product is tied to the evolution of the internet itself. In regards to FOSS, this is still true, but the relationship between a FOSS user and the FOSS community behind a product is open and transparent, where the target audience for that statement is usually users of services like Facebook and Google (or any other giant company).
When we use FOSS we become part of the user community behind that software. We can (and are encouraged) to contribute back to its development. Our contributions can be as complex as writing code and committing patches to the software, as simple as filing bug reports when we find bugs or even the simple fact that in using FOSS we are denying a company money that has a competing product, and showing that the FOSS in question is legitimate. Like, if you see a FOSS project that only has three users, it isn’t likely one you would use unless you are wanting to read through the code and make sure it solves your use case. We, as FOSS users, are still the product, but in a way that allows us to contribute to a more open and free internet.
The idea that we are the product is only scary when our data are being used to target advertisements, or are being sold to third parties. That is a way that users are monetized, without directly charging for a service. This is against the intent behind what the internet was set up to be, as it is limiting free expression of thought. In that way, “free” services that we do not pay for that make money off our data are working against our interests, as we should understand that we are being sold, sometimes without our knowledge, or with obscure or convoluted TOS and Privacy policies.
So… FOSS users are still the product, using the FOSS is helpful to us (we get the software) and helpful to the community (other users of the FOSS). Alternatively, services like FB & Google sell our data without giving us more than access to the service (sometimes though this price is not too high in my personal case).
Most FOSS projects are a labor of love, or have a parent company that contributes.
Yes. And no. Most FOSS projects do not make money for devs. But as a labor of love money isn’t really the point. Most FOSS is to address an issue, or solve a problem, so money isn’t primary in the concern.
This is why much FOSS was made, to run on a server for a long time, so good to use as its intended purpose.
They are there, but not required to be, though I know that there are many ways to reverse-compile Android apps, so… you can still read and use the code if you need or want to.
The Signal encryption algorithm is proprietary IIRC, but I may be wrong, and if F-droid is FOSS centered, it will not include the software.
You would need to read through the licensing that is involved with Nethunter, link.
Most do. I’ve even been paid to contribute to FOSS by a company that I was salaried for.
Nethunter is an Android ROM Overlay for Kali Linux. its not a custom rom or a GSI or whatever at that rate. its just an overlay which adds bootanimation, apps in /system and many more binaries + chroot even. NetHunter != GSI make that clear in your mind first.
