I don't follow. There's a store now that sells a subset of software. All other methods still exist. You can still do as you please, including installing another OS.
Am I missing the part where they're taking away anything that was possible before?
Am I missing the part where they're taking away anything that was possible before?
The current problem* is not that there is absolutely no way to manage your own computer whatsoever, it's that the methods for doing so are becoming more and more a niche only for the computer-savvy. The larger public is becoming increasingly more comfortable with, and encouraging of, closed systems. So long as the majority are willing to pay for such systems, it is not irrational to envision manufacturers eliminating other options over time.
*And keep in mind that I wasn't criticizing the present but, but a possible future 10-20 years from now.
Yes I can appreciate that concern.
Still is the operative word.
When people complained about UEFI preventing people from running their OS of choice, Microsoft mandated that x86 OEMs make it possible for users to unlock their systems.
Fast forward to today, microsoft no longer mandates user control on x86-based systems.
It's a slippery slope I'd rather not ride.