First, let me say that I’m big into open and free software platforms. I was a Linux system administrator and developer for years, and couldn’t have done my job without the openness of that platform. More recently, as a physics student I relied on many free software applications and platforms in my pursuit of my degree.

Now … this is probably one of the FSF’s worst ideas ever.

The Geniuses at the Apple Stores are there to answer technical questions from customers, not to be held accountable for Apple’s privacy and openness policies. By booking up their time you are effectively committing a Denial of Service attack against each and every store. Tell me FSF, do you consider this an acceptable way to behave online? Does Defective by Design advocate launching attacks against non-Free software websites? No? Then why is it OK to do in Real Life?

I know, I know. They’re trying to get Apple’s attention by tying up the Geniuses that day. But it certainly isn’t going to win any awards with the customers who won’t be able to get technical help. They’re not going to be too sympathetic to the FSF’s platform.

Finally, if (according to the FSF), the iPhone is such a terrible platform, why even bother with it at all? Apple isn’t going to open it up. That isn’t the way Apple operates. If you don’t like it, either use something else or even better: BUILD something else. Where is the FSF’s alternative to the iPhone’s operating system? Why does the OpenMoko platform suck so much? Instead of throwing all this energy into complaining about Apple, why not do something positive with it and build a viable alternative?

I wasn’t going to. Really. Honest. OK, well not at first that is…

Sure, the local Fido store was our first stop after we got back from vacation on July 11th. But it’s not like we camped out in line. We showed up around 3 in the afternoon, fully expecting that they would have sold out of iPhones much earlier in the day. Mostly, we just wanted to play with a demo unit and ask some questions.

Leo the sales guy was very helpful, apologized for not having any in stock (“No problem, we were just looking”), and offered to call us when he had more. So I gave him my phone number, knowing that the chances I’d hear back from Leo were infinitesimally small. Or so I thought.

Leo called me two days ago to tell me that he had set two iPhones aside for us. Turns out that Nat wasn’t eligible to upgrade her phone as she was already on contract with Fido. I on the other hand, had no such problem. With only 5 months to go in my Rogers contract, there was no issue in switching me over to Fido (yeah, yeah they’re the same company … but there are subtle differences in their billing systems that make me like Fido more).

I wouldn’t have upgraded if Fido was still planning to charge $60 a month for 400 mb of data … but with their 6 gb for $30 plan, I couldn’t resist. I know what you’re thinking and you’re right: I’m a sad, weak person with no willpower.

But at least I have a nice phone.