Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
Speaking as a non-DD user, I've heard this from the zealots until I *must* reply (or burst):Kevin Rosenberg <kevin@rosenberg.net> writes:The relucatance that I heard from two users, one who introduced me to Debian and the other that introduced to Debian is this: they are more comfortable using packages from Debian mirrors because they know that software has been created by certified Debian developers and that package has been digitally signed by the Debian developer. One user summarized it: "if the package is good, why isn't on the Debian mirror?"1) Any non-free .deb site could certainly restrict uploads to bona fide Debian developers. 2) That user's question is a very good one, and now it will get answered: "because the software isn't free software". And that's a very good thing for them to know.
I y'all are so concerned about this distinction, why did you remove the non-free section listing from:
http://packages.debian.org/stable/on the last go-round? That was the most obvious educational source for a newbie, I maintain.
I *never* have been confused in all my years of using Debian, but the last round of zealotry removed one place you could easily point to for a list of all the offenders. (Yes, I know there are other sources).
Seems like the concern is more with hiding something than making something clear.
I use no non-free software on my Debian systems, so I don't care if you take away non-free or not, but the hand-waving and sophistry from the advocates of removal don't give me a lot of confidence that they're interested in the users' welfare.
You sophists, you know who you are... OK, I'm through; DD's, continue to flame each other until you're toast.