Your Computer, Your Computing - 2017-05-13
It pains me to see how often we end up 'just dealing' with our computer software being restrictive, how we say we dislike how a certain software functions and yet we just roll over and take the hit. Many of us are used to this kind of mentality, however, in the Free Software community a little less because we're granted choices, yet even there we find ourselves faced with software that does something we dislike, but we refuse to migrate simply because it would be 'inconvenient'.
The truth of the matter is, your computer is your property (or rather, it should be, in the case of those of you who run non-free software), this means that any time you roll over and take the hit you are letting someone else decide how to use your personal property. When you own something, like a bicycle, you are not told and controlled on how you use that bicycle, how to adjust the seat, whether or not to add a basket. It's your bicycle and you use it as you please and adjust it as you please because it is your personal property and belongs to no one else, nor does it affect anyone else how you adjust it.
This same principle with the bicycle applies to your computer devices (whether they be phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc.). How you configure your computer does not impact others, and it is your personal property, and therefore should have the right to do with it has you please. Including any software you use (hence why it is important that any software you use be free software).
Now, what if there is no way to configure the software to work exactly how you want it or no software alternative that fixes the issues of the previous? At this point you either fix it your self (if you are a hacker), ask a friend to fix it (if they are hackers and have the ability/time), or open a bug report asking for the ability to configure this setting on the software.
Again, any less than your computer working the way you want it to is a compromise on how you use your personal property.
Last updated: