Bug#4078: lynx should be in `contrib'
Lars Wirzenius writes:
> I guess I'm repeating myself, but oh well. In my opinion, the main Debian
> distribution (i.e., not including non-free or contrib) should consist only
> of free software, where the definition of free includes the requirement
> that source code is available and that the program does not depend in
> a significant manner on a non-free package, whether the dependency is during
> compilation, installation or use.
>
> XForms is not free (no source). Anything that uses XForms is not free,
> because you can't compile it without XFree.
Okay. Thus it has to go into contrib. Right?
>
> All the installer packages likewise. And *-?motif packages.
That's quite logical. How about adding a contrib section (or a no-source)
section to both standard trees. My problem with contrib is that it is
located outside the standard tree. If it were inside I'd say let's move
everything that's not completely free in your sense (but free in the
copyright sense) there.
> > behind your approach I still think LyX should be an official part of Debian.
>
> That would be great, but as long as it depends on non-free stuff, it should
> go in contrib.
Can't we find a way to keep programs like this an official part?
> We need to have complete source code so that we can port packages to
> new platforms, or to new tools or libraries. I'm sure XForms is nice,
> but is there a version of the Alpha? For glibc? For newest XFree shared
alpha: Yes!
glibc: Don't know.
> libraries? For gcc with pentium patches? With profiling support?
>
> Placing a package in non-free or contrib isn't discriminatory, it's just
> honesty and makes it possible for people to choosing packages more easily.
> I'm all for having LyX packaged for Debian, and XForms too, but we aren't
> helping the user by putting it into the main distribution.
I understand your reasoning. But I think it's sort of discriminatory because
it's not under rex.
Michael
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