Re: General Resolution: Removing non-free
On Thu, Jun 08, 2000 at 03:01:09PM -0400, Peter S Galbraith wrote:
>
> I cannot support the removal of non-free until non-free itself is
> split into finer-grained sections of non-freeness.
>
> Some people speak of non-free here as if it were
> non-distributable software with shrinked-wrapped licenses!
>
Thats not the point. We have a distintion - DFSG. Software is from the
right side or the wrong side of the tracks. Are you suggesting we need
the Debian Not-So-Free Software Guidelines? Wouldn't this just indicate
to our users, the Free Software Community and the world in general that
we don't take free software seriously - that its okay to deprive users
of their right to free software? Thats how I would take it. This would
be telling Sun and Apple that their restrictive licensing is all right.
This would be telling all those companies that have opened their code
up under Free Software and Open Source licenses that they needn't have
bothered.
I find this suggestion personally offensive. I devote a lot of my time
to writing and advocating free software. I do it because its the Right
Thing to do.
Ian
--
Ian McKellar | Email: yakk(a)yakk.net | Web: http://www.yakk.net/
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