Re: the freedom to boycott non-free software

[Gordon Matzigkeit <gord@trick.fig.org>]

>>>>> shaleh  writes:

 s> So is Debian to choose what to boycott? or the user?

The user.  Debian simply would give them the tools to do so, by
distinguishing `pure' software from the rest.

What we'd have to vote on is whether we want `main' to be `pure', or
to make `pure' separate.

 s> It seems that people will have a problem with us making the
 s> decision for them.  Debian is already marked by many as being a
 s> wee off.

I don't want to impose anything on people, I just want to make it
easier for them to make their own decision in the matter of free
vs. non-free.

It is easy to choose not to care about free vs. non-free... just
install `main', `contrib', and `non-free'.

Currently, it is hard to choose *only* free (i.e. boycott non-free
software).  It involves research, and deselecting packages from main
on a case-by-case basis.  I'm willing to do the work to make it
easier, and other people seem to like the idea, too, so it becomes a
matter of policy *how* we implement it.

I agree with everybody that it is a policy that should be put to a
vote, since it has far-reaching political implications.  What is the
process for doing such a thing?

Thanks for your comments,

-- 
 Gordon Matzigkeit <gord@fig.org>  //\ I'm a FIG (http://www.fig.org/)
Committed to freedom and diversity \// I use GNU (http://www.gnu.org/)