Re: Proposal - non-free software removal
Why can't John Goerzen and all the other true believers just
get together to form (for want of a better name) the Debian
Non-Free Package Replacement Group (DNFPRG) with the goal of
developing DFSG-free replacements for all non-free packages
currently in Debian?
This group can get in contact with maintainers of dependent
packages regarding features required of the replacements. Based
on this information, they can decide package-by-package to
develop new free packages from scratch or adapt existing free
packages.
Judging by the response to his original GR, John should have no
trouble attracting willing volunteers.
In this situation, non-free packages would serve as temporary
scaffolding until DNFPRG-developed replacements become available
to supersede them. The non-free packages would then be abandoned
and eventually removed by the Debian package control systems.
This proactive approach to removing non-free packages must surely
be better than the mess Debian would be left in as inefficient
bug-laden "quick-fixes" are lashed together in reaction to the
multitude of dangling dependencies arising from banning non-free
packages outright.
It could also encourage more developers into Debian, knowing
that free replacements for non-free packages they depend on are
being developed.
--
Anthony Travers (amt-public@dodo.com.au)
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