Based on the NSA's spying behaviour and the number of federally sanctioned assassinations (by drone or otherwise), I could've sworn the commies lead the US into darkness, not the other way around.

I imagine many of these people would end up dead without electricity

What, are they androids or something? You talk about boredom; is that what allegedly kills them?

Europe will need it, and won't have it.

What you overlooked is that Russia also has state agencies* that build tools like this behind closed doors.

* Very likely NOT staffed by contractors

The weapons manufacturers could use whatever the government gave them just like construction companies can build a road on taken land.

Why would you be surprised? If the government can take land to build roads, why would software be any different? (Especially when what you are talking about is a licensing term?)

I think you just have some mistaken ideas about power of licenses and government, especially if there is an emergency declared.

I wouldn't worry too much about this though. Linux isn't that special that something else couldn't be used, and I doubt such a license would be embraced by the general software community.

Yup. I would prefer if companies returned dividends rather than grow into huge behemoths but I understand why they don't (government) and to investors, it usually makes little difference (Though I think if government interference were removed, dividends would provide better value).

One could be reading for a test or pleasure or some imminent need. It probably is in how the question is asked.

They look impressive on the e-bookshelf.

real 'sustainable' living isn't a bad goal. if you presume that all people are fundamentally incapable of doing this then you are on the wrong side of history. humans have had technology since people started writing things down.

some cultures are on the wrong side of this issue. it may seem that all cultures are now on the wrong side of history. apple uses solar power and hydrogen fuel cells to power all of itunes and icloud. don't you think that is on the right side of history? isn't a model that can be copied and emulated to allow a sustainable model in the computer age a good thing? and not just green washing.

otoh having 26 cars drive 500 miles as fast as they can and having solar power to run their radios and tv computers etc seems way more greenwashing than trying to be on the right side of history.

Amazon is unionized? That's why the auto makers got the bailouts.

Unfortunately, when cyber Monday does come around, between them and the other retailers using their services, they often seem to have insufficient capacity. We frequently were unable to spin up new instances around that period. When you have people sitting around waiting to do work, that quickly starts to eat into any savings.

Now we're getting somewhere.

Rural and many suburban people would be OK as long as they boil the water somehow, but what about people in NYC? Surely you don't think they can drink from the Hudson?!?

You misunderstand a legal taking, think eminent domain. You don't get to keep property that is condemned by just changing the deed to say "you can't take this."

If the government decided it was essential to take a particular bit of software and it actually cared about doing it legally they could pass a law that says they can do it regardless of what the license says. It wouldn't be that hard of a law to pass if it was really that important.

What does any of that even mean? Who has been 'whipped in the productivity game' by this municipal entity?