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Re: GNU/LinEx, Debian, and the GNU FDL



Branden Robinson presumes that the GNU Project's decision to stop
endorsing Debian must be meant as a form of pressure.  This is
complete confusion, because the GNU Project never stopped endorsing
Debian.

The GNU Project has never endorsed Debian, because ever since we first
considered the question, the Debian servers have been distributing and
recommending non-free packages.  I think this practice is entirely
wrong, but I did not try to change it with vilification and pressure.
Instead, for several years I talked with some friendly Debian
developers to promote a Debian decision to change the practice.  But
the proposals were voted down, and eventually I stopped trying.  When
asked, I say that Debian is better in regard to freedom than the other
distributions, but still not good enough.

The GNU Project is still looking for a GNU/Linux distribution to
recommend.  I thought we had found one in GNU/LinEx; it contained
non-free packages but its developers said they would remove them.
When they told me that change was made, I thought we had finally found
a distribution to endorse.  However, Jose Marchesi of GNU Spain
informed me that it contains other non-free packages, which means we
can't recommend it.  We are still looking for a distribution we can
recommend to the public.

If at some point Debian distributes main from a server that doesn't
include or refer people to non-free software and documentation, the
GNU Project could point to that server as a place to get an entirely
free version of the GNU system.  We could say this even if the system
on that server did not include our manuals--but in that case, we would
not find that system entirely satisfactory.  We could not endorse it
in glowing terms, and we would continue looking for a better
alternative.



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