Re: Emacs Webapp/Plugin

[Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>]

      I know you are not a fan of Cloud based systems in general

I don't have a general attitude toward all those different things.  I
adamantly reject the term "Cloud-based systems", because it spreads
confusion and lumps together unrelated issues.  To say anything
formulated in terms of "Cloud" promotes misunderstanding.
I invite you to join me in avoiding the term.

See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html.

In this specific case, two different issues arise:

* If someone else's server does your computing, that is SaaSS.  See
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html.

* Storing your data in someone else's server is showing them to the
NSA.  All data connected with a person is sensitive, including your
location when you connect to that server.

								 but,
    when used wisely, theses systems can save the User a ton of system
    administration and provide even more function.

Are you suggesting that saving some trouble is a good reason to
surrender control over your data and your computing?  That's precisely
the idea that we need to lead people to abhor.

At the basic ethical level, supporting use of Emacs in such a context
is comparable to supporting use of Emacs on Losedows or SmackOS --
which we are willing to do.

However, there is an important difference one level down.  I don't
think many people are likely to use Windows or SmackOS because Emacs
runs on them.  In our community, people are likely to understand that
those systems do wrong to the user.  But I fear that many might decide
to use thin client machines because of the convenience you cite.  We
have talked about the harm they do for only 3 years or so.

A trade-off solution occurs to me: include this support, but lecture
the user, "You're making a terrible mistake using a system like this
one" (plus why), in each Emacs session.

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org  www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
  Use Ekiga or an ordinary phone call.