Re: weekly policy summary
Hi,
[I should be breaking out my absestos suit now, I guess]
>>"Chris" == Chris Waters <xtifr@dsp.net> writes:
Chris> Note that the common element of both proposals is that someone who has
Chris> non-free packages in her package list will see them, and someone who
Chris> doesn't won't. This really seems like the best approach all 'round.
Chris> Back when non-us was all lumped together, this was a more contentious
Chris> issue; now that non-us is divided properly (about time imo!), it may
Chris> be time to reopen the issue, I'm not sure. I *am* sure that it would
Chris> make RMS happy if we finally got this resolved, but RMS isn't in
Chris> charge of Debian, so....
I am slightly dismayed by some of the proposals in this
thread, which would have us bury all references to software that does
not meet our guideline somewhere in the documentation which is ot
accesible prior to installation, and not during the install.
Freedom of software should come on its merits, not because on
Debian it is hard to find good (but non-free) software.
Not quite censorship, but definitely freedom through obscurity.
Well, part of the problem is that we do have a cadre of
developers who want to make Debian the best possible distribution,
bar none, and they would have been happy with a X or BSD style
licence. In their minds, the focus is on the user, and we just choose
the free software because it is better, not for ``political''
reasons.
What if it is true? What if the non-free software does indeed
provide functionality missing in Debian? We bury our heads in the
sand and pretend that it does not exist? We do our users a disservice
and make it harder for them to discover and istall the missing
functionality?
I think that not pointing out a solution that makes the users
life easier is making debian worse. The user should then be allowed
to make an educated choice. If you think the user is not making an
educated choice,
a) examine yourself for hubris, ;-)
b) teach the user
We do free software a disservice by trying to hide non-free
software, or making harder to install, on the grounds that we fear
that too many people may use non-free software if we do so.
manoj
--
"We want to see three things in the 1988 Republican Party Platform...
First, a constitutional amendment banning all abortions in the United
States. Second, increased funding for law enforcement and a mandatory
death penalty for drug dealers. Third, LESS GOVERNMENT." Speaker at
a 1988 Republican Straw Poll in Iowa
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
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