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Why hasn't anyone built an entirely free computer yet?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2024
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Why haven't you? Same thing applies for everyone else.
If you had the skill to make an actually useful modern computer you probably work somewhere like that as your job, and you sure as shit don't want to do that at home too. Especially since you'd probably never make any of your monetary investment back, let alone paying for your time.
While I understand the challenges you're pointing out, it's crucial to acknowledge that not everyone working on personal projects expects immediate financial gains. Some individuals are motivated by a passion for exploration and a desire to contribute to open and accessible technology. Even if replicating a professional-grade computer at home is challenging, there's value in fostering a community-driven approach to technology, aiming for transparency and independence from corporate interests. The pursuit of knowledge and the potential for positive societal impact can be significant motivators, transcending immediate financial returns.
It's not that genuine passion and altruism isn't acknowledged; the entire open source software world is a testament to that.
You asked for an explanation as to why Free modern hardware hasn't been developed yet. The simple answer is that passion and altruism has not yet been a strong enough incentive to motivate anyone to do it. He's not accusing you of being lazy or hypocritical. The reason why you haven't done it yet is the exact same reason why anyone else who could do it also hasn't done it yet. It's very very hard, and passion doesn't pay the bills or feed you. Limited to a hobby, it's simply more work than most people could ever hope to achieve in their spare time.
Sure. And the number of people who would do it purely because they want to is a tiny fraction of people who do it for pay. To pay those people you need profits, to get profits you need to be special, to be special you can't share your trade secrets.