unlike jails, people choose to buy Apple products. In Stallman's world, that's not a valid choice. Why? Because it's not completely open. So what? This is up to the individual to decide - it's not like they can run his piece of crap HURD. Every choice makes trade-offs, and the GPL is no less of a jail. So, what is Steve Jobs' crime? That he led Apple to bring out products that people actually want?
Apple's (and arguably Android's) success at controlling the distribution of software are steps toward more closed environments. Just like Facebook's success takes us nearer to the end of the "wild west" age of the Internet.
Sure, no one is going to take away your free devices nor prevent you from having a proper self-hosted website/communicating through email and IRC. However, if people become content with doing everything through closed services provided by a handful of companies, then you have no choice but to do the same (if you want to keep in touch with friends/family).
That's one reason to hope Apple doesn't suceed. To avoid becoming part of the fringe.
*eye twitch*
Also, this cropped up on reddit a while ago. Were you aware?
The lousy part is the simulations I ran in the 80s predicted all this, almost down to the year - 2011 - as being the start of the irreversible decline. I was just off by a couple of years because of the financial crisis. Oh well, shoot me
Er.. what?
Living on Earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the Sun.