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Comment by stackghost | Hacker News Reader

Not to be Debbie Downer but software licensing has no effect on what matters to billions of people.

We are facing very real global and societal issues that people on this site are actively exacerbating, like disinformation and climate change.

If a dude changing an inconsequential text file on GitHub gives you hope for the world, then please broaden your perspective.

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So I'm guessing you don't do anything except what matters to billions of people? Always 100% fully generalized contributions, never making your local world a better place? Your only local contributions being to tell off people who are grateful that their lives are materially improved by someone else's smaller actions... You must be beloved by your community.

Making one small corner of the world a little bit better is a good thing. There's not much use in complaining that it's not as big of an impact as could hypothetically be achieved on some larger issues.

It's things like this that rob my of my hope for the world.

Lol. Someone liking this change is stupid for letting it lift their outlook, right? How stupid is it then to let this comment rob your hope.

:) Alternative reply to lighten mood in odd thread:

  Not to be Debbie Downer but making one small corner of the world a little bit better has no effect on what matters to billions of people.

  We are facing very real global and societal issues that people are actively exacerbating.

  If a dude explaining that there’s not much use in complaining robs you of hope for the world, then please broaden your perspective.

You understand I'm on your side here, right?

Sorry yes, giving silly alt reply

“He who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars. General good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer.” -- William Blake

I saw someone smile at the park the other day, do you think you could talk to them for me?

This is verifiably false. Without copyleft licensing like the GPL or permissive licensing like MIT and Apache we literally would not have the internet, or it would be somehow even more wildly dystopian and proprietary than it already is.

Not GP but I feel like that's kinda their point - the fact that we still have this platform to collaborate in such an organic way is truly remarkable and must not be taken for granted.

Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

I think you like very much to be a debbie downer

You are indeed being a Debbie Downer.

You must be fun at parties

Actually a lot of that bad stuff billionaires are doing is enabled by MIT licensed software. Like, device lockdown is illegal with GPL3

People are concerned about having homes to live in and having food to eat. They aren't concerned about 'device lockdown'. Try to see the bigger picture.

Device lockdown is why our biggest billionaires are billionaires. It's how they made their money and still make it.

If Apple starts allowing sideloading apps they'll still get at least 95% of their revenue today.

Just look at the s***show on Android.

No, Apple losing its 30% cut of all transactions made on iPhones is an existential risk to them.

Allowing sideloading is not remotely the same as "losing 30% of cut of all transactions".

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