So far, I have to agree with what other people wrote on this subject. I once advocated for such requirement (for computer providers and manufacturers to provide hardware with no software pre-installed), but I decided not to support it anymore. While it might make things simpler for free/libre software activists to use these hardware in freedom in the future, it will as well favor the non-free advocates, because:
a) Manufacturers can make their hardware work with only non-free software, just like they're doing nowadays. b) If the ruling would come true, then it wouldn't make a difference as long as we continue to be "squeezed" by the non-free software advocates and as long as we have our "rivals of mind share" (you probably know who I'm talking about) and also as long as we are outnumbered and spread away from each other to do some real [pacific] protest to make the other 60% of worldwide population wake up for the real importance of free/libre software (and functional data). Events like International Day Against DRM (worldwide), LibrePlanet (mostly in North America), Software Freedom Day (worldwide), GNU Hackers Meeting, and those related to GNU subprojects and free/libre distributions (e.g.: GNU Health Conference) are great moments to meet in person and do some [pacific] protest. Although I have my doubts about Software Freedom Day because I have seen participants promoting open source instead (although I saw it too late to actually be able to comment, since I wasn't subscribed to the mailing list at the time).
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