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Re: "keep non-free" proposal



On Mon, Mar 08, 2004 at 04:18:31PM -0800, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
> I hear from you and from Sven the argument that because this GR
> doesn't fix everything, it's pointless.  That doesn't seem right.  It
> fixes *something*; it doesn't fix *everything*, but it makes a start.  

I'm saying that the rationale -- where this GR only scratches the surface
of the changes which would need to be done to satisfy the rationale --
would lead us into bigger problems.

> I haven't heard much from the "other side" yet to tell me what you
> think would fix those problems.

I'd start with a better rationale.

> I haven't heard how keeping non-free on the Debian servers helps in
> the development of more free software.

You mean like documentation needed for development?  Why do I need
to explain why such documentation helps the development of more free
software?

> I haven't heard how you plan to clarify what is and is not Debian.  I
> haven't heard your proposals for how to communicate to users that
> non-free is not part of the Debian distribution.

You haven't?  I guess you're saying I've not posted enough on this
subject?  Or, if that's not your point, what is?

> So yeah, the GR does not fix everything.  So what?  It fixes
> something, it makes a start, and it's wrong to argue that we should
> never start because we aren't sure that the start will fix
> everything.  Do you have a plan to fix everything?

If you have a problem seeing through a dirty window, you can fix it with
a hammer.

However, even though that's an elegantly simple solution, it's not always
a good idea.

My plan for "fixing everything" runs something like: first examine the
problem, then come up with a solution which makes sense.  [And, no,
of course that won't solve everything all at once -- which is what I
think you were trying to lead me into talking about.]

Thanks,

-- 
Raul



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