This isn’t a software problem. It’s a capitalism problem.
It should be straight up illegal to remove pre-existing functionality from a device, regardless of whether that is present in software or hardware. If you release it on a stable channel, if you advertise it as a feature of a device, you support it for the life of the device. You can test beta features via an entirely separate beta app, but once the feature becomes stable you don’t have a choice anymore. Once you stop supporting the hardware or software, you are required to open source everything required for consumers — as well as any competitor — to pickup where you left off and continue development.
If you release it on a stable channel, if you advertise it as a feature of a device, you support it for the life of the device.
And when support ends you must provide everything necessary for users to have absolute control over the hardware themselves. “Unsupported so it’s trash” is nonsense.
Once you stop supporting the hardware or software, you are required to open source everything required for consumers — as well as any competitor — to pickup where you left off and continue development.
Sorry. I forgot human civilization is structured around what is profitable for the individual for a fraction of a lifetime, instead of what optimizes the quality of life, usage of resources, and long term survivability of our species for millennia. My bad.
You don’t even need demand eternal support. Just say that if manufacturers want their product to expire like milk, then they can damn well print an expiry date on the package, too.
How would "“Will cease functioning on <x>” affect consumer purchasing decisions?
This isn’t a software problem. It’s a capitalism problem.
It should be straight up illegal to remove pre-existing functionality from a device, regardless of whether that is present in software or hardware. If you release it on a stable channel, if you advertise it as a feature of a device, you support it for the life of the device. You can test beta features via an entirely separate beta app, but once the feature becomes stable you don’t have a choice anymore. Once you stop supporting the hardware or software, you are required to open source everything required for consumers — as well as any competitor — to pickup where you left off and continue development.
And when support ends you must provide everything necessary for users to have absolute control over the hardware themselves. “Unsupported so it’s trash” is nonsense.
Does this not cover that??
You can open source everything and it doesn’t matter if you don’t provide the keys to unlock it.
You’re going to have to proactively provide tools for users to unlock their devices completely.
But there’s no future profit for Sonos in them providing the ability for us to play music we already own from our own library.
Sorry. I forgot human civilization is structured around what is profitable for the individual for a fraction of a lifetime, instead of what optimizes the quality of life, usage of resources, and long term survivability of our species for millennia. My bad.
You don’t even need demand eternal support. Just say that if manufacturers want their product to expire like milk, then they can damn well print an expiry date on the package, too.
How would "“Will cease functioning on <x>” affect consumer purchasing decisions?