Re: General Resolution: Removing non-free

[Benedikt Eric Heinen <beh@icemark.ch>]

> > This GR is not about killing non-free software.
> But it will exactly have this effect, and as a corollary will kill
> Debian as a mainstream Distribution. And that's a _real_ pity.

This will strongly depend on whether and especially HOW a potential
split would be done.


Imagine this setup:

  Step #1:	Copy the entire debian.org master machine to a
		debian-non-free.org master machine (including BTS
		and everything).
  Step #2:	debianorg removes non-free.
  Step #3:	debian-non-free.org removes everything BUT
		non-free.
	[Note:	Contrib would either stay in debian.org or in 
		debian-non-free.org; we'd need to choose that]
  Step #4:	debian-non-free.org agrees to stick to general
		standards of debian.org with the ONE EXCEPTION of
		ONLY distributing non-free software (or only 
		distributing non-free software plus free software 
		depending on non-free software [if contrib gets 
		moved to debian-non-free.org]).

	  [I would strongly vote for having ONE webmaster for both
	   domains, or make debian.org webmaster govern the general
	   look'n'feel of the other debian parts]


Goal:
	- debian.org will stay ENTIRELY free.

	- debian-non-free.org will maintain non-free software for 
	  those who believe in mixing both is fine.

	- A split of the distribution in competing distributions is
	  prevented if debian-non-free.org will agree to ONLY
	  accept non-free packages (and if it is generally agreed
	  which of the two takes over maintaining contrib).


Disadvantage:

	- maintainers who maintain both "non-free" and
	  non-"non-free" software would need to have two machines
	  to work with.
	- Those who mirror the distribution, need to mirror two
	  sites if they want to keep non-free (three if they
	  require a separate non-us site).
	  [minor thing, as the setup would only need to be done
	   once].
	- More webmaster work...




  Benedikt

BRAIN, n. An apparatus with which we think what we think.  That
  which distinguishes the man who is content to _be_ something from
  the man who wishes to _do_ something.  [...] In our civilization,
  and under our republican form of government, brain is so highly
  honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.