Yet people still recoil as if in horror when I try to explain that this is one of the core reasons why gplv3 is so important. Look, we've lost the hardware freedom wars so far, but we still have software, and we can work on improving our hardware side as we progress.

One of the Common arguments I hear in response is, "But open source doesnt pay, and therefore doesnt innovate as much."

While the lack of funds coming arent ignorable, innovation is always happening in the foss space, often surpassing the proprietary alternatives, often falling far behind as well. It still gives you the power to control your own systems, which is the freedom you can choose to not give up.

The only way you surrender your freedom is voluntarily.