[kde-community] finding a clear vision for KDE - second draft for discussion

[Ingo Klöcker]

On Saturday 27 February 2016 21:29:10 Alexander Neundorf wrote:
> On Saturday, February 27, 2016 19:42:44 Stephen Kelly wrote:
> > Alexander Neundorf wrote:
> > >> "A world in which everyone has control over their digital life"
> > >> (in -> over) seems a great vision.
> > > 
> > > personally I'd like to have included that this can be done
> > 
> > At least in my view (see my mail), a vision is not 'done' at all. It
> > is only for inspiration.
> 
> by "this can be done" I didn't mean "we will do the following to
> realize this", but the "do" refers to the action of "having control
> over their digital life".
> 
> > > - independent from the commercial interest of companies
> > 
> > Out of scope of the vision. See also my mail.
> > 
> > > - available for everybody to use
> > 
> > The vision Jos and I discuss says 'everyone'. See also my mail.
> 
> Yes, right.
> 
> > > - using solutions which can survive long-term
> > 
> > Implied by the vision.
> > 
> > Actually I take this back. It's not implied by a vision. The
> > question is out of scope.
> > 
> > A vision is not done, and a 'solution' is out of scope.
> 
> Isn't this nitpicking on the language ?
> 
> Let me take an example. Let's take whatsapp.
> 
> It is not free of cost, but really cheap. So to me this more or less
> qualifies as "available to everyone". Not ideal (free of cost), but
> close. Let's assume a Whatsapp user would have fully satisfying
> control over his privacy, his data, etc.
> This would qualify as "control over his digital life".
> Still, this is for me not enough.
> 
> The user still depends on the company to continue the product, to not
> change the terms and conditions, etc.
> The user still is forced to use a device where the software runs, and
> has lost if the app is e.g. not ported to the new mobile OS of the
> day, to some new processor, etc.
> To me, this is not satisfying.
> 
> Or, IOW, the technology should be available similar to how pen and
> paper are available today - very cheap, not dependent on a single
> company, notes written today will be still readable in 100 years, the
> knowledge how to create them is no secret, etc.
> 
> Does that make clearer what I mean.

IMO, WhatsApp cannot give its users control over their digital life 
precisely for the reasons you write above. The user is a WhatsApp's 
mercy. This is the exact opposite of user control. The user's digital 
life is under the control of WhatsApp. They can delete the user's 
digital life whenever they want to.


Regards,
Ingo
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