Gregory's ServerI'm afraid that doesn't make any sense. The replicator technology can presumably replicate itself (or at least its own components). It would be exceedingly difficult—probably impossible—to *prevent* it from becoming widely available to all.
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 Licenses and patents and copyright have not sufficed to prevent software piracy or phone/console jailbreaking, and you expect them to suffice to prevent the jailbreaking of a high-tech horn of plenty? No way. @argv_minus_one @econads @ian we don't copy like we did 20 years ago. It has effects. Because we're not being forced to. We can actually reliably buy/rent software/movies now, without having to drive anywhere and hope the store still carries what we're looking for. And for software/movies that aren't for sale any longer, we still do copy them. “Abandonware”, it's called. In your scenario, where the only thing standing between us and post-scarcity paradise is some capitalist's crooked artificial-scarcity scheme, we would be very much forced to. @argv_minus_one @econads @ian I just say there are tools and possibilities. I would fight tooth and nail against them, but I think there are people who wouldn't give up the current situation without a fight. |
@argv_minus_one @econads @ian “Presumably” does a great deal of work in that sentence.
How much work has gone into taking general-purpose computers and locking down their capabilities in order to have payment gateways in place? A massive amount. Every iOS and Android smartphone, for example. Any system that has limitations on what software can be installed.
What company, in today’s capitalist society, having just developed replicators, wouldn’t put such guardrails into them? And use the legal force of patent protections to keep them there? And use their power to sway governments to increase those protections?
@argv_minus_one @econads @ian “Presumably” does a great deal of work in that sentence.
How much work has gone into taking general-purpose computers and locking down their capabilities in order to have payment gateways in place? A massive amount. Every iOS and Android smartphone, for example. Any system that has limitations on what software can be installed.