Re: General Resolution: Handling of the non-free section: proposedBallot
On Fri, Mar 05, 2004 at 06:41:36PM -0800, David Schleef wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 06, 2004 at 02:05:57AM +0100, Sven Luther wrote:
> > > Additional developers, such as myself, would be willing to work
> > > on non-free packages, *provided that they are outside of Debian*.
> >
> > Why ? And why do you not start working and establish your own repository
> > for distributing your packages ?
>
> I already have a repository for distributing my own packages. I
> have no interest in doing this on a large scale, as that doesn't
> scratch my itch -- I just don't care that much about it.
>
> > And why you don't use this time to work on free packages instead ?
>
> I work on what I feel like working on.
>
> > And more to the point, what would be the benefit to debian and the
> > free/open/whatever community, since the main point is that these
> > non-free packages are evil ?
>
> I hardly think that anything in non-free is evil. It is just
> inconsistent with the principle "Debian will remain 100% free
> software."
Yeah, and you conveniently forget about section 5 of the SC.
> Debian can either vote to stand behind this principle, or not.
> However, the vote isn't going to magically change what people want
> to work on any more than your email will convince me to stop working
> on what I want to work on. The people who currently choose to
> work on non-free packages will not suddenly decide "oh, Debian
> decided to dump non-free, so I'll stop working on these packages".
I will most assuredly consider doing that. And i maintain one of the
most non-free packages that can be. One of the seven or so binary-only
kernel modules, which is a thing _i_ consider evil, and a threat to all
what debian represents in the long run. And if you think about it, you
will also see why.
> No, they will simply upload the packages to a new, non-Debian
> repository.[1]
I will most certainly not use the new non-free.org infrastructure then,
i will probably either withdraw the packages, or go to upstream and ask
them to host it.
> Of course, that new repository would need a maintainer. As I'm not
> willing to step forward and do the work myself, I can't complain
> too loudly if things don't go according to my preferences.
Most probably, and what seems to be happening, is that DD are going to
step forward and implement this, thus withdrawing ressources from the
debian project.
> [1] I'm sure there are people who, for whatever reason, do not fit
> this category. Their existence does not invalidate my point.
The existance of the people you mention does not in any way validate
your point though.
Friendly,
Sven Luther
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