I've been done using closed systems[1] for quite some time now. As I've become more skilled in technology, I have become more frustrated by what companies allow &, more specifically, what they don't allow when it comes to their hardware or software. I am still figuring out what makes sense for me: what software I choose to install on my computer; what technology I use on a daily basis; what web application I choose to visit & contribute to. Some may find these problems trivial. Some may find them only to be first-world problems (I happen to agree with that). But, the choices we make when it comes to technology are important because what we decide now will affect what happens in 20, 50, or 100 years time.
That may all sound grandiose & a bit too far-sighted for some & that's fine. For me, I've slowly been making the conscious decision to move toward a more open source life. I've given up Twitter & Google. Facebook is something I never visit. I switched to a linux laptop at work. Yesterday, I finally installed Fedora 18 on my MacBook Air (the install was smooth except when it came to the Broadcom wireless driver). I've switched back to using Firefox as my primary browser, running Adblock Plus & Ghostery plugins to browse the web. I rooted my HTC One X phone just as soon as I bought it. Technology is a big part of my life & I want to know my systems, rather than blindly trusting them.
