Results of "downloading compressed program images" request

[Richard Stallman]

      Would you want to be dependent on an
    elevator, public transportation, or traffic control system which have been
    "updated" by a random individual?

I think you have moved to another issue.  The question we were
talking about is (when specialized to this case) whether the elevator
owner should be able to modify the elevator software.  You seem to be
talking about whether it would be good for the elevator owner to allow
just anyone to install modified software in the elevator.

I don't think we need to fear that many elevator owners would permit
that.  They know that a bad malfunction could hurt people, and even a
minor malfunction could scare people and thus hurt the owner's
business.  They will not allow untrained people to modify elevators.
Also, laws about certification of elevators may apply to installation
of modified software.

Still, elevator owners do hire people to fix and change the machinery
of elevators--even the parts that are crucial to safety.  They take
care when doing this, but they make the changes they want to make.  I
see no reason why it should be different for the software.