Re: My quite ordinary comment about Re: GR to remove non-free...
I wish I could get more information before throwing in
my two cents, but here goes:
I tend to agree with most of the comments here. I like
working with Debian and think that the package
managmenent tool is the best of the distributions that
I've worked with. I also like the fact that as things
now stand if I'm missing something, all I have to do
is pop in the url or ftp address and the distro does
the rest. I also have a lot of respect for the
convictions of the the creators of Debian and their
steadfast belief that (forgive my grievous
oversimplification. My only rationale is that I'm
trying to address the one issue) good code is
something everyone should share.
But it does cost money to put the non-free stuff on
servers and as useful as these apps are, I can see the
developer's point that these packages go against the
unique niche/mission that this distribution is trying
to fulfill.
But I can't help thinking that there must be some room
for compromise here. If the Debian developers don't
want to support non-free software, I'm inclined to
agree that that is their prerogative. Nonetheless, I
don't see why the carrying of non-free files is an
issue with respect to package management. If a 19 year
old (no offense to the 19 year old) can come up with a
program like the Napster that is currently turning the
music industry and the judicial system upside down
trying to figure out what to do, why can't the best
and brightest of the Open Source Development community
put something like this to better use and code an
apt-search function into dpkg that uses similar
technology to give end users access to the non-free
apps they are used to having? If Debian went to some
kind of file-sharing system like the Napster, they
would only have to carry library header information on
non-free files instead, no?
--- Randy Edwards <redwards@golgotha.net> wrote:
> > A typical newbie won't start with Debian
>
> While that is probably true, I don't think that
> should be the basis for
> Debian's mode of operation. Debian needs new users
> and it needs to be
> designed to appeal to new users while still
> maintaining the qualities that
> separate it from the other GNU/Linux distributions.
>
> --
> Regards, | Debian GNU/Linux - http://www.debian.org
> - More software than
> . | *any* distribution, rock solid
> reliability, quality control,
> Randy | seamless upgrades via ftp or CD-ROM,
> strict filesystem layout,
> | adherence to standards, and militantly
> 100% FREE GNU/Linux!
>
>
> --
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>
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