Re: Non-Free Warning at Package Install -- Was: Alternate proposal
Chris Lawrence <quango@watervalley.net> writes:
> On Jul 09, Craig Brozefsky wrote:
> > If I had apt or dpkg giving me warnings anytime I selected a non-free
> > package, I could easily maintain this state of affairs.
>
> Remove non-free (and non-US/non-free) from your apt sources.list, and
> you'll never install a non-free package again.
>
> To do this: vi /etc/apt/sources.list
I'm aware of that, and have done it already. It should be noted that
only recently have I been able to do this, so we need to support both
people who can go all non-free, and those who are required for various
reasons (work, school, or whatever) to use a small set of non-free
packages.
Let's say that I wanted one or two non-free packages, such as
gimp-nonfree and some of the fonts like sharefonts and freefonts. I
could have the non-free and contrib resources in my sources.list,
maintain those few non-free packages up to date, but be warned if I
select any other non-free packages.
Perhaps my usage pattern is kinda unorthodox, but the way I use apt, I
rarely know what the license on an unfamiliar package is until I
install it (this was prior to removing non-free and contrib from my
sources.list). Particularly if it's in a large list of packages I
want installed, or is pulled in by another package. Presently, apt
does not tell you where the package is coming from (and that's when I
can tell it's non-free) until it starts to download it.
To me, the ideal situation would be for dpkg -l and other package
listings to identiy non-free software as such. When I need a package
to do something, I usuall do a search like "dpkg -l "*blah*" to try
and find any relevant package. In that listing, I cannot tell what is
free and non-free. I would like to be able to tell, and I think it
would better distinguish Debian from non-Debian packages.
I also would like for apt to print a list of non-free packages it will
be downloading before proceeding. this is the proper time for the
user to be notified that they are about to install non-Debian
packages. Otherwise, they will have no say in the matter.
Yes, both of these problems can be solved by keeping contrib and
non-free out of your sources.list, but some of us have to use non-free
packages for work, or perhaps to do things like sign .debs. I think
this would give us the best granularity between all-free and "devil
may care" user preferences. Of course, I think these warnings should
be capable of being turned off by the user.
I don't think we should berate the user in these warnings/identifiers,
but we should make it clear that they need to review the license,
because it does not fit into the DFSG, nor is it part of Debian. As
it stands presently, there is no way for a user to tell what packages
are part of Debian, and which packages are just supported by Debian
resources in order to help users who need non-free software.
I see Debian as a great resource for Free Software advocates. We can
provide the world with a 100% Free Software platform NOW, today, while
still allowing users who are tied to non-free software to benefit from
our work. As time goes on, and people need non-free software less and
less, we will already have created for them, a 100% platform. At
least by my reading of it, this is the essence of the Social Contract.
--
Craig Brozefsky <craig@red-bean.com>
Free Scheme/Lisp Software http://www.red-bean.com/~craig
I say woe unto those who are wise in their own eyes, and yet
imprudent in 'dem outside -Sizzla
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