Defining Free Software Business

Alfred M. Szmidt ams at gnu.org
Tue Jun 27 23:43:03 UTC 2006


   > It is the case, Debian gives space, distributes non-free
   > software, and explicitly supports non-free software.  Just
   > because you and MJ like to insist that "It isn't the case"
   > doesn't make it any less true.

   The debian /project/ does those things.  I don't like it, but I've
   never denied it.  The debian OS shouldn't do any of those things.

[...]

   Debian doesn't include non-free software.  

So which is it? Debian doesn't support and distribute non-free? Or
does it?

   I'm not sure why it isn't recommended by the GNU project.

Because it _includes and supports_ non-free software.  It is really
that simple. 

   > No, I mean Debian the project as a whole, every part of the
   > project.  Including Debian GNU/Linux, Debian GNU/Hurd, Debian
   > GNU/k*BSD, etc etc

   Debian is not the project, it's the operating system.  All of
   Debian GNU/Linux, Debian GNU/Hurd, Debian GNU/k*BSD should be 100%
   free software or it's a serious bug that will be dealt with
   accordingly.

Then please explain non-free which are part of those systems, and part
of the Debian project.  That you say that it isn't doesn't make it
true, it clearly is.  You said your self so in the first paragraph of
this message, but later contradicted yourself.




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