Comic Transcript
ALEX: VerizoT&T Technical Support, Alex speaking. How can I help you today?
CUSTOMER: Do I own my smartphone or not?
ALEX: I don’t understand the question.
CUSTOMER: I recently bought a smartphone through your store. I paid full price because I didn’t qualify for an upgrade. Do I own, in a full, legal sense, my smartphone?
CUSTOMER: Because if I own it, I ought to be able to do whatever I like with it. But for some reason, you guys have locked it down so tight that I might have to violate encryption laws if I want to install another operating system on it.
ALEX: Sir, you own the hardware, but you don’t own the software.
CUSTOMER: I don’t want to own the software. I want to REPLACE the software.
ALEX: Only the owner of the software can decide to replace the software.
CUSTOMER: And I suppose you own the software?
ALEX: Not all of it. But we do own the software that prevents you from replacing the software.
