Re: non-DFSG section and CD distributers
On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, Paul J Thompson wrote:
> Do you know how out of the way those documents are for new Debianers? With
> the priority they place for Debian (and they are pretty important, obviously)
> they should be on the very front of our homepage. They should be part of the
> installation procedure (one of those texts that pops up). And so on...
This is a good point. They should be more obviously accessible.
> > : 5. Programs That Don't Meet Our Free-Software Standards
[...]
> > : Thus, although non-free software
> > : isn't a part of Debian, we support its use, and we provide
> > : infrastructure (such as our bug-tracking system and mailing
> > : lists) for non-free software packages.
> >
>
> I would simply say that this part (especially section 5) is worded so that it
> sounds like we are putting down non-DFSG compliant software.
Huh? If "we support its use" is a a put-down, I'd like to know what you'd
consider respect.
> I would be happy if maybe changed the way some of this was worded. I would
> change: "We acknowledge that some of our users require the use of programs
> that don't conform to the Debian Free Software Guidelines. We have created
> "contrib" and "non-free" areas..." to something more like "We acknowledge that
> there are some pieces of software which, while they do not conform to the
> Debian Free Software Guildlines, are still excellent programs are a very
> useful to our users. Therefore, we have created "contrib" and "non-free"
> areas..." This makes it explicitely known that we are not, like you said
> above, unequivocally against free software.
This is bending over backwards. We don't have to hand non-free software
developers a lollipop.
> It doesn't sound like the discussion ever ended. And no, I wasn't around back
> then. Back In June I had just switched over from RedHat to Debian... This
> doesn't mean I can't understand Debian, though.
No, but frankly I think your perspective would be different if you'd been
around for a couple of years.
> No, this is not what's bothering me. I am simply afraid that people will get
> a bad impression of Debian because of something which really isn't true. I
> don't want people to think of us as close-minded and arrogant.
Mind you, it wasn't Bruce who suggested that his seven theses be nailed to
the church door (the web page). Bruce stuck them back in the pulpit, where
only the other clergy would see them.
--
G. Branden Robinson | Optimists believe we live in the best of
Purdue University | all possible worlds. Pessimists are
branden@purdue.edu | afraid the optimists are right.
http://www.ecn.purdue.edu/~branden/ |
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