[yavor at doganov.org: Re: Defining Free Software Business]

[Sam Liddicott]

Alfred M. Szmidt wrote:
>    First, there is _no_ 100% replacement for Java. Go to
>    http://packages.debian.org/, and ask it for a list of any package
>    with 'Java' in the description located in the 'contrib' section.
>
> You forgot non-free.  Which is part of Debian, and which Debian
> promotes usage of.  There Sun Java is included.  Can you explain how
> Debian advances free software by including a non-free version of Java?
>
>    Look at the list of packages that Debian has freed from the Java
>    trap.  Are you _seriously_ telling me with all that, that Debian
>    does not advance free software in this area?
>
> Yes.  Finding packages that others have written is not advancing free
> software.  Writting said software on the other hand is.
>   
So I take it that the GBN will not be advancing free software either 
then, (unless a free program is written to list GBN members).

It seems as if you sometimes constrain the meanings of your terms beyond 
what your readers expect; I can't see any natural way of interpreting 
Debians activity so that it cannot be said that they are advancing free 
software.

Sam