Re: Debian i386 freeze

[Raul Miller <rdm@test.legislate.com>]

Alexander Yukhimets <aqy6633@is5.nyu.edu> wrote:
> Simple. DFSG does not allow discrimination against field of endeavor.
> And we bashing the software that says that it is not allowed to be
> used on systems other then X (remember?:). On the other hand, GPL
> explicitely discriminates the users of and distributors for *free*
> OS'es in *favor* of those using and catering for *non-free* ones.

No, it does not.

The programs are *freely usable* on BOTH free and non-free OSes.

You know this, I believe. 

If nothing else, we'll never be able to distribute programs which can't
be run on a free os for the simple reason that we only distribute programs
which run on a free os.

I believe you know this as well.

What you seem to be objecting to is that the GPLed programs can be built
to run on non-free OSes, and therefore can be linked with libraries which
are not legal to use on free OSes.  But the programs themselves run just
fine on the free OSes, by use of other (free) libraries.

Of course, you also know this.

Which leads me to ask:  What problem are you trying to solve?

>From past posts, I think you have a problem with the philosophy of
free software.  If this is the case, I think it should be discussed,
but not on this list.  I don't know of any current mailing list where
this is appropriate, but I'd like to see a new list created for this
kind of discussion.  The best name I've been able to come up with for
this list is: debian-fsg (free software guidelines).

> This is only my opinion, but it would be difficult to prove that GPL
> violates DFSG. From the other hand, I am pretty sure I will be able to
> probe that GPL'd *libraries* (not LGPL'd) do violate DFSG.

I'd love to discuss this with you at length.  But not on this list.

-- 
Raul


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