www/philosophy network-services-arent-free-or-n...

[Richard M. Stallman]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Richard M. Stallman <rms>       13/04/21 13:56:51

Modified files:
        philosophy     : network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html 

Log message:
        Introduce and use "SaaSS".
        Other small clarifications.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.11&r2=1.12

Patches:
Index: network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html,v
retrieving revision 1.11
retrieving revision 1.12
diff -u -b -r1.11 -r1.12
--- network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html 28 Feb 2013 17:09:40 -0000      
1.11
+++ network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html 21 Apr 2013 13:56:28 -0000      
1.12
@@ -52,24 +52,28 @@
 <p>There is one case where a service is directly comparable to a
 program: when using the service is equivalent to having a copy of a
 hypothetical program and running it yourself. In this case, we call it
-Software as a Service (<acronym title="Software as a Service">SaaS</acronym>), 
-and such a service is always a step backward in ethical terms. If you had 
-the equivalent program, you'd have control of your computing, supposing the 
-program is free. But when you use someone else's service to do that computing,
-you can't have control of it.</p>
+Software as a Service (<acronym title="Software as a
+Service">SaaS</acronym>), or Service as a Software Substitute
+(<acronym title="Service as a Software Substitute">SaaSS</acronym>
+&mdash; this term explains more clearly what the issue is), and such a
+service is always a bad thing.  The job it does is your own computing,
+and users ought to have full control over that.  The way for users to
+have control is to do the computing by running their own copies of a
+free program.  Using someone else's server to do that computing
+implies losing control of it.</p>
 
-<p>SaaS is equivalent to using a nonfree program with surveillance features 
+<p>SaaSS is equivalent to using a nonfree program with surveillance features 
 and a universal back door, so <a 
 href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">you should reject 
 it and replace it with a free program</a> that does the same job.</p>
 
 <p>However, most services' principal functions are communicating or
 publishing information; they are nothing like running any program
-yourself, so they are not SaaS. They could not be replaced by your copy of a
+yourself, so they are not SaaSS. They could not be replaced by your copy of a
 program, either; a program running in your own computers, used solely
 by you, is not enough by itself to communicate with other people.</p>
 
-<p>Non-SaaS services can mistreat their users in other ways. Issues
+<p>Non-SaaSS services can mistreat their users in other ways. Issues
 about a service can include whether it misuses the data you send it,
 and whether it collects other data
 (surveillance). The <a 
href="http://autonomo.us/2008/07/franklin-street-statement/";>Franklin
@@ -106,12 +110,12 @@
 freedom, hoping she will switch to free software.</p>
 
 <p>Conversely, if the service operator runs GNU/Linux or other free
-software, that's not a virtue, but rather a benefit for her.  We don't
-praise or thank her for this; rather we felicitate her for making the
-wise choice. If she releases some of this free software, thus
-contributing to the advance of the community, that's the point at
-which we have a reason to thank her. We suggest releasing these
-programs under
+software, that's not a virtue that affects you, but rather a benefit
+for her.  We don't praise or thank her for this; rather we felicitate
+her for making the wise choice. If she releases some of this free
+software, thus contributing to the advance of the community, that's
+the point at which we have a reason to thank her. We suggest releasing
+these programs under
 the <a href="/licenses/license-recommendations.html">GNU Affero
 GPL</a>, since evidently they are useful on servers.</p>
 
@@ -121,11 +125,12 @@
 <p>Thus, we don't have a rule that free systems shouldn't use (or
 shouldn't depend on) services (or sites) implemented with nonfree
 software. However, they should not depend on, suggest or encourage use
-of services which are SaaS; SaaS needs to be replaced by free
-software. And, all else being equal, it is good to favor those service
+of services which are SaaSS; SaaSS needs to be replaced by free
+software.  All else being equal, it is good to favor those service
 providers who contribute to the community by releasing useful free
 software, and good to favor peer-to-peer communication over
-server-based centralized communication.</p>
+server-based centralized communication, for activities that don't
+inherently require a central hub.</p>
 
 </div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
 <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
@@ -166,7 +171,7 @@
 
 <p>Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2013/02/28 17:09:40 $
+$Date: 2013/04/21 13:56:28 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>