On Mar 2, 2010, at 1:40 PM, Stefan Monnier wrote:
> I think the real threat the FSF's ideals is that computers are being
> split into two camps:
> - cell-phones
> - web-services
> there are still some things in the middle (laptops/desktops) where users
> can run Free Software, but the tendency is pretty clear.

One may dislike the lack of freedom on a platform like the iPhone, but it is worthwhile to consider why the platform is successful (as in: popular).  Potential reasons: 

1. The applications are highly usable, reliable, polished and cheap.  The marketplace allows customers to read and publish reviews, and a ranking system to endorse interesting useful apps.  The review system put in place by Apple ensures that apps are relatively free of bugs, standards-compliant (UI and API standards) and usable.  When developers have their apps reviewed, theory even get free feedback.  Also, the middleware (Apple's CocoaTouch/iPhoneOS frameworks) are tested, reliable, well-documented, easy-to-use and there are easy-to-learn development/debug tools.

The middleware provided by the iPhone OS (and also by OS X) is so extensive and reliable that it competes well with the "bazaar" of free libraries and and other code.  Think NSSpellChecker vs. ispell/aspell, or CoreImage vs. ImageMagick/libpng/etc.

2. There is a working revenue model in place that gives application developers their deserved financial rewards.  Per-hour wages are around US$150 as far as I know.  Even developers who appreciate the ethical considerations of writing free and non-free software have to pay the mortgage, feed their kids, get a health plan (or they even want to enjoy life in their own Tesla sports car or their own aircraft).

There are further hardware-related and business-strategy related reasons, which may be less relevant for our agenda.  Perhaps there is something to be learned for free software from the above two points.  See also Lennart's point w.r.t libraries.