What are your thoughts on open source?

Open source software,

I do my best to use open source where practical. In particular I like where companies find a model that allows them to generate revenue with open source software, as it tends to generate better supported software. But there are some awesome sponsored projects like all the ones KDE does.

I run linux on my personal laptop as a daily driver and it works great for me. I use Android on my phone, and am on the lookout for a cheap secondhand Pixel 7 as I'm keen to give GrapheneOS a go.

science,

Having science publically funded but then you have to pay a journal to read the paper that the researchers had to pay to be published in... is crazy. Luckily these days it's pretty easy to find the original papers online if you know where to look. I'd be pretty happy to have requirements for free access to research done with public money.

repair manuals / right to repair movement etc…

I'm a big fan of right to repair. We make so much ewaste. Someone (consumer NZ?) tested out a bunch of returns processes using GPS trackers, deliberately causing really easy to repair faults (from memory they used blenders and just detatched an internal wire). Places like Kmart made no repair attempt. Their policy is basically to send all warranty returns to landfill and replace with a new one.

It's insane and something needs to change.