Free software on Windows (was: Re: about warez.at)

[David Mentre]

Alessandro Rubini <rubini at gnu.org> writes:

> He is right. If users need bash, awk, perl etc to work, the won't
> press their employers to switch to a libre OS now that they have that
> stuff on windows. 
[...]
> (for example, most installations don't even have a compiler so people
> can't practically do anything with their tools but running them).

So it could be mandatory to have a compiler pre-installed on the
machine (and the compiler would be installed if not present). 

> Employers will still be reporting to the press they only work with
> some-company proprietary tools and the advantage of individual users
> won't have any effect at all.

Unfortunalty probably true. :(

> I explained the disadvantage because otherwise RMS' idea would look
> silly.

Yes. Thank you for doing that.

[me]
> > Should we put a prominent warning saying "this software is
> > free software with the following 4 rights bla bla"[1]?
> 
> This is already there in all GNU tools; well sort of, it's more
> focused on the no-warranty than on the all-freedom.  It's quite boring
> a message, though.

I was more thinking of a concise startup dialog which is not part of the
legal stuff. Or maybe some text rolling at the bottom of the window. Or
a text appearing if the user is doing nothing.


Notice that I don't won't to defend the idea of putting free software on
Windows. It is just to have some arguments about the pros and cons.


Thank you for your post Alessandro,
Best regards,
d.
-- 
 David.Mentre at inria.fr
 Opinions expressed here are only mine.