Defining Free Software Business

MJ Ray mjr at phonecoop.coop
Tue Jun 27 23:51:48 UTC 2006


"Alfred M. Szmidt" <ams at gnu.org> wrote:
> If Debian has been fixing these errors, please explain why it is
> hosting non-free software,

'We acknowledge that some of our users require the use of works
that do not conform to the Debian Free Software Guidelines. We
have created "contrib" and "non-free" areas in our archive for
these works. The packages in these areas are not part of the
Debian system, although they have been configured for use with
Debian.' -- http://www.fr.debian.org/social_contract

> and still adding more non-free software there.  Most notably, Sun Java.

I don't understand why some debian delegates added Sun
Java, especially under those nasty terms.

> This is obviously not an error, since it is perfectly a valid practise
> within Debian and is condoned by the Debian project.

The addition of Sun Java to Debian has not been condoned.
Another wild accusation without evidence.

> >  > >  So, roughly equivalent to Debian's main archive.  There are
> >  > >  other "Fedora foo" archives containing other things.
> >  > 
> >  > Can you point me to these `other archives'?
> 
> >  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects/WeeklyReports/ lists some.
> 
> Oh please, you quote a wiki.  Then I guess that if someone makes a
> link to ftp.microsoft.com when posting to a GNU list then GNU is
> hosting non-free software.  Stop this absurdities.

I expect GNU does host non-free software somewhere, but
I don't know whether ftp.microsoft.com runs GNU, so I
don't see the relevance of that.

> Atleast have the decency to quote offical material.

The wiki seems to be official material.  I'm not exactly happy
with that, so I quoted another, which was deleted unmarked.
It's much more substantial than anything quoted to support the
allegations against debian.

> >  Of course debian supports non-free software.
> 
> And recommend its usage.  We agree.  Great.

No, debian does not recommend or depend on non-free software.
(debian-policy s2.2.1, yet again) 

> >  GNU supports non-free software, although I expect the GNU project
> >  tells you not to use it.  Can a product condone something?
> 
> You make silly claims without fact again and again, it is boring.
> Shove proof.  Where does GNU support non-free software?

Anywhere where non-free software for GNU is run.  Odd question.

> >  > equally bad in this regard, since both contain non-free software.
> 
> >  Sorry, that's incorrect.  Get yourself a CD of the official release
> >  and try to find any.
> 
> What the CD's contain isn't relevant.  It is the action of Debian that
> matters.

The CDs are debian.  They are the ultimate action of the debian project.

> I'd go on an equal rampage if the FSF started doing the same.

I somewhat doubt it, but I hope we never find out.
-- 
MJR/slef
Laux nur mia opinio: vidu http://people.debian.org/~mjr/
Bv sekvu http://www.uk.debian.org/MailingLists/#codeofconduct




More information about the Discussion mailing list