Re: Software in main that is throughly useless without non-free software
On Mon, May 03, 1999 at 03:15:24PM -0500, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> >>"James" == James Troup <james@nocrew.org> writes:
>
> >> Server != library. There is no linking. There is no requirement to use
> >> it with a non-free server.
>
> James> Hello? No requirement? What, pray tell, does one do with TiK if one
> James> doesn't connect to a server (non-free)?
>
> Theoretically, one does not provode the software to do
> _anything_. You may look at it. You may feel inspired to write a free
> server. You may take pleasure in the number of packages you have
> installed.
By your argumentation, there is no point in providing a _binary_ package.
Source is enough, and even preferable, for any of the above things.
> Do we have the right to deprive users of choices just because
> we see no reason to do stuff? Sounds a trifle draconian.
We can also annoy our users with too much choices. Some people are ssaying
that Debian does contain too much packages. But this should not be used as
an argument in either way.
> James> I'd say the necessity to connect to the server before one can
> James> do what the majority of users would do with TiK is a
> James> requirement.
>
> Their choice. But they may not. *We* have no right to pull a
> free package just cause we think it may be used in conjunction with a
> non-free package.
This is not (the only thing) discussed here. The point under contention is
what we should do if it can ONLY be used in conjunction with a non-free package.
Although you may want to give the same answers to both questions, the
questions are indeed different.
Remember that I don't know TiK. If it has useful functionality without
connecting to a server at all, you have a point. But if a program can only
work if it connects to a non-free server, James has a good point, too.
The telnet package can be used to connect to a non-free telnet daemon.
Nobody wants to pull it because of that. But what if I am forced to connect
to a non-free server before using a package? In this case, I'd have good
reasons to be surprised to find such software in main.
Marcus
--
`Rhubarb is no Egyptian god.' Debian http://www.debian.org finger brinkmd@
Marcus Brinkmann GNU http://www.gnu.org master.debian.org
Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de for public PGP Key
http://homepage.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/Marcus.Brinkmann/ PGP Key ID 36E7CD09
Reply to: