Re: Can we do without non-free?
Hi,
>>"Joop" == Joop Stakenborg <stakenborg@HYPH.AZR.NL> writes:
Joop> Section 1:Debian Will Remain 100% Free Software
Joop> We promise to keep the Debian GNU/Linux Distribution entirely free
Joop> software.
Joop> The contradiction:
Joop> We will support our users who develop and run non-free software on
Joop> Debian.
What's the contradiction? Debian is 100%free. Debian supports
users who may want non-free software. Unless your contention is that
Debian is the only source of any software, there seems to be no
contradiction. If you think Debian is the only group in the universe
creating software, write me and I'll point you to other folks who
actually do write and sell (non-free) software.
Joop> Section 4: Our Priorities are Our Users and Free Software
Joop> A line from this section:
Joop> To support these goals, we will provide an integrated system of
Joop> high-quality, 100% free software, with no legal restrictions that would
Joop> prevent these kinds of use.
Joop> My comment:
Joop> What's the non-free section doing in our distribution then?
Non free is not part of Debian. Nither is contrib.
Joop> It is time to drop non-free. Debian has so many packages now,
Joop> there must be a counterpart of a non-free package in the main
Joop> distribution. If we can drop non-free this means we can really
Joop> distribute free software and put all our effort into the main
Joop> distribution
unterparts are not good enough. Part of freedom is freedom of
choice, too, and our users are free to use whatever they wish. Sice
we like our users, we tend to support them, even though we prefer
free alternatives.
Freedom. That's what Debian is all about.
manoj
--
Do not count your chickens before they are hatched. Aesop
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
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