Re: Open Source or not? (Was: Unidentified subject!)
"Paul E Condon,,," wrote:
> Open source, in the Debian version, involves the semi-automatic
> distribution of software over the internet. In order to keep itself
> free of legal entanglements, it must segregate software carefully
> according to its legal status, [...] If it doesn't the whole structure
> is in danger of collapse. Not good.
Okay, just to set that straight: I dont have a problem with Debian and
the philosophy behind.
Actually I do appreciate that Debian "promotes" Open Source etcetera,
because I consider the concepts of Open Source etc. to be a good idea
and I like it, so I guess I'm biased too (To be honest, in my last post,
I completely forgot to think about the legal and other consequences
which could come up when including software into Debian. Whip me, beat
me, force me to use Emacs; I truly deserve it. *evil grin*).
So if Debian decides to exclude non-free software from the distribution,
thats okay with me. If I want it, I just download it from some other
source, no problem. Thats just one aspect of "free" I like and I'd like
to have in the future.
> [...] There is a conflict between ideas of property rights on software and
> rights of individual humans to 'do their thing'. It will be interesting
> to see how it comes out. [...]
Actually, I do have a problem with people who oppose free software and
see proprietary software as the only good thing. OTOH, I also have a
problem with people with a "Free Software and nothing else"-attitude.
I just hate extremists, they just turn good ideas into bad ones by
thinking and talking in black-and-white terms _only_.
Actually, I guess the best way is a peaceful coexistence of free and
non-free software. People could follow their ideals and/or people could
make a living, and the one getting the most out of it is the one who
should: Joe Eight-Bit, the ordinary user.
So the crowd I'm in must be pretty much the same as yours, I guess (the
"do your thing and let everybody do his" one). So that means we can all
join in to the huge, world-wide group-hug. Now isn't that nice? :-)
Maybe it would be a good idea to lock up Gates, Stallman etc. into a
room and have them settle that issue once and for all... :->
Dominic
--
Madam, there's no such thing as a tough child - if you
parboil them first for seven hours, they always come out tender.
-- W. C. Fields
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