We Cannot Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership

[EarthFirst]

WE CAN'T LET JOHN DEERE DESTROY THE VERY IDEA OF OWNERSHIP

https://www.wired.com/2015/04/dmca-ownership-john-deere/

TL;DR -if you bought it; you should own it.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Phone companies argued that opening up the network would wreak havoc and chaos on the ...

telephone network, instead it didn't. It opened up the Internet.

[defacto7]

2. The long slow process of corporate ownership of everything

has been quietly going on for many years. Closed source coding and proprietary hardware have been a clandestine way of taking ownership away from the people who buy everyday products from computers to cars to vacuum cleaners. Thus says this Linux/Unix user since the '90s. I've been watching it happen from afar.

[Karadeniz]

3. So if some vehicular malfunction originates in the computer run system, Deere and Ford

are going to pay for the repair, right?

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Interesting story.

Tractor Hacking is a big Business and JD as well as GM and Cummin's wants to shut this folks,the Hackers down.
.
Most of the Younger Farmers are replacing the JD software on their equipment with off the shelf fixes. Mostly for better equipment performance as well as Horse Power and Fuel Economy increases.

Go to U Tube and pull up Hacking your Tractor. Remember the days of Jail Breaking your Cell,well,most smart Farmers are Jail Breaking their Tractors and Combines. One of the fastest growing jobs in Rural America. When a Farmer takes his computer to town to get fixed,well,chances are the repair guy or gal will offer to hack his tractor..

[murielm99]

5. I would love to see more of our Democratic

Congress people and Senators addressing this issue and similar agricultural issues.

I met several Democratic candidates during the last election. I tried to ask them questions about the things that concern farmers and rural voters. Most of them are clueless. No wonder repiggies are elected time after time in rural areas. They take the time to know the issues.

This is not so much true in Minnesota. The DFL rules there, and it is the one place in the country where the majority of the farmers are Democrats. We need to start working with our candidates and elected officials on these issues.

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Western and South Eastern

Minnesota Farmers are of a different bunch. Yes there are some Dem Farmers,but for the most part,they tend to be spiteful of the Twin City Metro folk and tend to be hard core Rethugs,and truly believe what the local Preacher tells them or what they heard riding the tractor listening to Rush all day. Called upstate Minny for many decades,once the so called Moral Majority garbage started and the FDR voters died off,then the big switch happened. Been run off many a Farmstead years ago while working campaigns. Seen a few Junk Yard Dogs,but,those pissed off Farm Dogs are the worse.

What needs to be addressed is this,we have to convince these folks that what they have been voting for has been their death knell only slower. Honestly,these folks are just plain scared about their Families and the Future. Been to these Farm Group meetings,and as usual,these Farm Group Meetings are full of Speakers who offer zero new ideas only reinforcement of the same old same old that is slowly eroding the ground the Attendees are standing on.

Oh the winner is,stop by the presenters booth at the back of the Hall and check out all these new things we got for sale or lease. Now it is time for a free box lunch sponsored by your local Farmers Insurance Man.

[murielm99]

8. My family is from Southern Minnesota.

They are Missouri Synod Lutherans and liberal Democrats. I come from Minnesota farmers.

[Wellstone ruled]

11. Sad to say,

they are most likely surrounded by Quistian's and their Ilk. Mankato and Blue Earth County used to be quite Blue.

[JayhawkSD]

7. Funny that no one complains about Apple and iPhone software.

You cannot access the iPhone software, or alter it in any way. You cannot put your own software on an iPhone. If the iPhone software goes bad, the only way to get it fixed is to ask Apple to fix it for you. The iPhone is so popular that tens of thousands sleep overnight on sub-freezing sidewalks to get the new models. How many lawsuits have been filed over the inability to modify the iPhone software?

Or Microsoft, a company which has never sold software, but only sells a "license to use the software."

Or computer games, which you cannot buy, but can only buy a "license to use." you cannot modify the games in any way, or legally poke into the code that drives them. How many lawsuits have been filed over this?

John Deer does not say you cannot soup up the transmission of a tractor, or put new wheels on it, or paint it a different color. They only say that the software that runs the engine is proprietary and cannot be accessed.

Has anyone checked to see if Ford automobile engine software can be modified by the user? Or GM cars? Chrysler? I'll bet you'll find the same thing applies. Can you paint your car a different color if you want to? Or do you not own your own car because you cannot access and modify the engine software?

[friendly_iconoclast]

9. "I'll bet you'll find the same thing applies." And you would be wrong:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=mod+chip+ford

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&ei=s8yzXPnIGM2c5wKkyZDIBw&q=mod+chip+gm&oq=mod+chip+gm&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i160l3.92301.94656..95073...0.0..0.100.526.5j1....2..0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0j0i10j0i22i30j0i22i10i30.G9qC5vG46Zk

[JayhawkSD]

10. You can stick a new chip in.

Can you modify the software that is in there?

And can you modify or replace the software in an iPhone?

Can you get the source code for Microsoft Windows 10 and modify it?

Can you paint a John Deere tractor purple if you want to?