Re: General Resolution: Removing non-free
Branden Robinson wrote:
>
> On Wed, Jun 07, 2000 at 01:30:22PM +0200, Miros/law `Jubal' Baran wrote:
> > This thread costs me about 35 minuts of reading and the decision for
> > not to use Debian on my servers [which I had in mind] if this
> > resolution would effect in changes to the Social Contract; mostly
> > because I need to use java and some other non-free.
>
> > PS. Being not a developer I can't formally object to this resolution
> > :-(
>
> A good thing, because you clearly don't understand the resolution.
>
> This resolution will do NOTHING to prevent users from downloading, using,
> compiling from source (if available), modifying, etc. non-free software.
>
> It is a largely technical proposal with some alterations to the Social
> Contract to clear up some muddy language and terminate a compromise that
> was made years ago for pragmatic reasons.
>
Huh?
"We will support our users who develop and run non-free software on
Debian, but we will neither make the system depend upon nor distribute
an item of non-free software. Debian may continue to distribute
non-free software previously distributed via its FTP site prior to the
woody distribution."
I read that to mean that no new non-free packages will appear on
Debian's FTP site. For instance, newer versions of NS Communicator will
not be available there as deb's. Not to mention the JDK.
Either I'm mistaken, or your statement is highly disingenuous. It
*would* effectively prevent me from downloading non-free software in the
way I would like: as debs, from the Debian site, using apt.
Speaking as a non-Debian-developer, I think maybe this is all simply
premature, considering NS and JDK in particular. There are probably
others. Couldn't we get the browser and JDK nailed down first? (Pardon
me if I am mistaken about the JDK; I'm going from the remarks of
others).
If this is put into effect, I really would have to reconsider my choice
of distributions. *Very* regretfully. :-(
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