On Wed, Dec 05, 2001 at 09:20:31AM -0800, John H. Robinson, IV wrote:
> my point is that if i had a totaly free debian gnu/w32 system, i'd have
> a bunch of usless code.
Without the non-free bios my kernel is use less so Debian GNU/Linux for
i386 should be dropped.... Of at least make an own bios with only free
software! Opps rest of the hardware also has non-free software, remove
that too! Make the system only run on truly free software and no
dependency to any non-free software...
> because that kernel is non-free.
because the bios is non-free.
> debian is a free os. without a free kernel to complement the free
> userland tools, you have nothing. so debian gnu/w32 would be a non-free
> os, since the kernel (a very important piece) is non-free.
debian is a free os. without the bios to complement the free kernel, you
have nothing. so debian gnu/linux would be a non-free os since the bios
(a very important piece) is non-free.
> and bsd is a free kernel, so we could havd debian gnu/bsd, and have a
> free os. wouldn't that be fun?
Maybe, buy the naimg would be even harder, and still i don't se the
fundamentat difference in code lever you soo clearly has defined. Bios,
(ok to be non-free) kernel (not ok to be non-free) userland (not ok to
be non-free).
Probaly I work to much in a real world with problem that has to be
solved, where time and cost is of the essence. It's not always a
possibility to put some man-years into someting that only costs a few
tusands and then delay everything else the same amouth of time.
> don't need to try to explain myself any further. my point is this: with
> a non-free kernel, you are forced into having a non-free os, and that is
> not what debian is about.
my point is that kernel isn't any different from any other parts of the
code, bios, init, sh they are all important. Using the maxium ammouth of
free software is good. If some software has to be non-free untill better
alternatives arise let it be soo.
/ Balp
--
o_ Anders Arnholm, HiQ - Consultant
o/ /\ anders@arnholm.nu Phone : +46-703-160969
/|_, \\ http://anders.arnholm.nu/ http://www.hiq.se
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