Re: "non-free" software included in contrib
Steve Langasek <vorlon@netexpress.net> wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 01, 2003 at 09:47:46AM +1000, Matthew Palmer wrote:
>
> > To address the original point, however:
>
> > I do believe that policy is correct in it's reasoning in this instance. By
> > my understanding, packages go into contrib for one of three reasons:
>
> > 1) They strictly depend on non-free software;
>
> > 2) They build-depend on non-free software, but otherwise depend entirely on
> > free software; or
>
> > 3) They install non-free software.
>
> > In each case, the actual contents of the package itself is DFSG-free.
>
> > Apart from item (2), which I can't think of a major example of at present
> > (OOo is in main because they just don't build the Java parts, AIUI),
>
> Still in contrib, last I knew.
>
> > The mechanism by which the non-free software will come to be on your system
> > (by hook or by crook, as it were) isn't a fundamental difference, IMO.
>
> The fundamental difference is that, in your first two cases above,
> you're actually installing some free software that has value of its own
> and presumably would be moved to main if the non-free software it
> depended on was reimplemented or otherwise freed; whereas in the third
> case, the free software is only useful *so long as* the non-free
> software in question is non-free.
Just my 2 cents. I completely agree with Steve. If the only freeness
of an installer is being able to use it as a staring point to make
another installer, then that's pretty weak. It's sole purpose is to
install something that isn't even free enough for `non-free', so why
should it be listed in the freer than non-free contrib?
Moving such packages to non-free would be more representative of their
real state of freeness.
Peter
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