> a large proportion of modern open-source systems is composed of free (in the FSF sense) software.

The critical parts aren't though, and that's where it matters the most, IMHO intentionally so.

An HP printer being 99% based on free components won't be a tangible improvement if the last 1% vehemently prevents it's free use. Open source being the core of the OS doesn't help if nothing can replace iOS on an iPhone.

We're in a world where free software has massively grown, while the day to day impacts are IMHO comparatively small. It feels like we're more free than ever, inside our new confinement cells.