Re: General Resolution: Removing non-free, Draft 2
Hi,
[note that I don't think this subthread is really relevant to the question
if Debian should have non-free packages in the archive. I consider this to
be a moral issue, and only secondarily a question of quality. However,
as it concerns you and other people, it might be useful to continue this
thread anyway, although it is not my intent to plan such a non-free area for
(should the GR be accepted) homeless Debian packages, nor drive it forward.
I am simply not interested enough in non-free software.]
On Wed, Jun 07, 2000 at 04:32:58PM -0500, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> >>"Marcus" == Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de> writes:
>
> >> I see. Just like red hat contrib packages can be as good as
> >> the packages inside.
>
> Marcus> Bashing Red Hats contrib area does not add value to the
> Marcus> discussion. I have never seen it, and can't comment on
> Marcus> it. From what I know I doubt that it is even remotely
> Marcus> comparable to the issue at hand.
>
> You are backing a proposal that wants to remove all non-free
> software from debian, and perhaps move it to a thrid aprty
> site (such third party support still being vaourware, mostly).
>
> You are offered an example of another distribution that off
> loads some packages to third-party packagers, with a
> palpable drop in quality.
This other distributor is a commercial vendor, though, and has quite a
different operational structure, history and supposedly a slightly different
user base than Debian. Also, for most users of Red Hat there is probably
little need for the contrib area, as long as vanilla Red Hat packages or third
party packages from upstream do what they want. Red Hat does not seperate
free from non-free packages as Debian does, so the contrib area does not
serve a specialized purpose (it doesn't fill a niche), as the proposed
non-free area would. This area would probably be driven by a lot of
Debian maintainers (at least initially) and fill a real need (obviously,
judging from the numerous postings on the list about this).
I don't know if the contrib area in Red Hat is organized. The proposed
non-free area of packages in deb format would probably be.
> You totally fail to see the connection.
Exactly. Maybe it is now on you to back up your point a bit? What
similarities do you see between the proposed non-free software hosting and
the Red Hat contrib area?
> How big a cluebat do you have to be hit with?
A small one is sufficient, if it is not just hot air. (Wood is preferred
over metal, though :)
Thanks,
Marcus
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