We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
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Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#2Very interesting. I did not know this issue extended all the way to farming equipment. At the same time, I can't say I'm terribly surprised given the state of things currently.
Thread hijack: Am I the only one who finds Wired's... "unique"... styling of links absolutely obnoxious?
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#3I am not a lawyer, so I'm probably wrong on some of the finer points here, but I'm going to postulate an analogy here.
Why can't we equate the software inside a computer inside a vehicle with the mechanical equivalent? What then would our rights be?
It obviously doesn't require permission to move a valve or a gear around. Therefore, it shouldn't require permission to move a few bits.
It also doesn't require permission to draw a diagram of your changes and tell your neighbor what you did.
On the further extreme, one could potentially draw a diagram of the entire vehicle. At some point you're copying the entire idea, and the lawyers can fill in how this is protected. In this analogy, the computer code replacing it should then be protected the same way?
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#4Very interesting. I did not know this issue extended all the way to farming equipment. At the same time, I can't say I'm terribly surprised given the state of things currently. Thread hijack: Am I the only one who finds Wired's... "unique"... styling of links absolutely obnoxious?
Its coming to consumer vehicles as well. [0] This will be (already is) an industry standard.
0: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/04/automakers-say-you-don...
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#5Why can't we simply ask if this could be done for 'mechanical programming' and apply the same logic.
You don't own that full mechanical engine's construction, you just have a license to use it for the lifetime of the vehicle.
If that wouldn't stand, then how is it any different than code except that code is on a much smaller and and more detailed level. At the end of the day, it is still physical components following the laws of physics to render some result. Does the fact it is more complicated allow for it to stand? In which case, how complex when the fully mechanical engine need to become for the same logic to be applied?
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#6Very interesting. I did not know this issue extended all the way to farming equipment. At the same time, I can't say I'm terribly surprised given the state of things currently. Thread hijack: Am I the only one who finds Wired's... "unique"... styling of links absolutely obnoxious?
In support of your hijacking: no, you're not. I find it annoying. It has the stink of "we've got to do something different but we don't know what...let's mess with something that isn't broken!"
As abhorrent as I find John Deere's anti-ownership approach, I say let them continue down that road. It will provide another entrepreneur the opportunity to create and sell a more easily maintainable, you-bought-it-so-you-own-it alternative.
God knows the home appliance space needs that kind of alternative.
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#7If Deere and GM prevail, then we need to change the laws to recognize that these vehicles aren't being purchased, but leased. There are accounting and tax implications for the lessor and the lessee that need to be resolved.
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#8This is boring, these guys are talking about software that existed (briefly) between the 80s-90s before the open source era. All this make the necessity of a stronger open source hardware.
At least the automakers should let you replace their SW stack with an open source alternative.
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#9> John Deere may be out of touch, but it’s not alone. Other corporations, including trade groups representing nearly every major automaker, made the same case to the Copyright Office again and again.
In Capitalism, the game is to make monetary profit & control the market, above all else. It makes sense what John Deere is doing. They are just being good Capitalists.
Re: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Idea of Ownership
#10Huh. So, like an iPhone, you don't get to see or modify the software on a tractor. What's new about that? Its the same with my desktop computer, come to think of it.