The Journey (Resan)

[Klaus Knopper]

On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 07:20:53PM +0100, Marcus Rejås wrote:
> I really would like some comments on this and I have a bunch of
> questions. 
> 
> - Do you think this is this a good idea?

Basically yes. I'm just afraid that a CD with 100% free and also
"patent-free" software will not be very popular, especially since
even the Linux Kernel is not fully GPL-compliant due to what I heared.

Also, if you want to include the sources on the CD, you should calculate
that about 66% of the CD will be occupied by (obsoleted very fast)
sources, which nobody who is not already involved in Free Software
would want or understand. That limits the amount of usable programs
on the CD very much.

I would opt for a DVD release in the case that you really want to
include the sources on the same medium. The GPL does not require
you to do this and offers different options.

> - Do you want it?

Me personally: Of course.

I'm just not sure about the "average user of
non-free operating systems who would like to switch". If this CD
should promote Free Software, it has to contain a lot of stuff
that users of proprietary systems expect from a new OS.

Remember: Most people have no interest in "philosophy" and don't
even care about licenses or legality, for that matter.

Knoppix contains some "non-free" programs like the Gimp "non-free"
plugins, acroread and the Java RE, simply because they fulfil
functionality that is not yet present, or not "allowed" in
Free software components.

> - Does this already exist?

Not that I would know of. But Bernhard Reiter from the FSF europe had
once asked a similar question, you may want to include him on the list
(if he is not already reading it).

Regards
-Klaus Knopper
--
Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Knopper                              Dansenberger Straße 44
Phone+Fax: +49 631 51504                              67661 Kaiserslautern
http://www.knopper.net/                               GERMANY
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