In 2015, the French Court of Cassation submitted a request for preliminary reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union in an interesting case about forced bundling of computers and software. The outcome was long anticipated by the free software community which has been advocating for a long time against this practice of computer manufactures and major software companies. It was seen as a hope of putting an end to the so-called ‘ Windows tax’. With the decision in Deroo-Blanquart, however, these hopes seem to have been dashed.

Imagine your refrigerator ordering eggs and milk when you have completely forgotten you would be having guests and would need to bake a cake. Or your washing machine taking care of detergent supply on its own. Or your self-driving car charging itself when low on battery and handling the whole process of (self)-maintenance, so that you never ever have to worry about this again, and with your data and private life completely protected. Science fiction? Yes and no.