Re: [Fsfe-uk] BBC's DRM Iplayer windows only

[Noah Slater]

On Mon, Jan 07, 2008 at 02:00:55PM +0000, MJ Ray wrote:
> I think the argument is that FSF is being inconsistent (again),
> by publishing things like
> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
> criticising Microsoft's proprietary formats, while supporting
> Adobe's proprietary formats.

While open formats are important, and you will have to try hard to
find anyone on this list who disagrees.

Howver, I think you are confusing the FSF's purpose with the GNU
philosophy. Note that the FSF and the GNU Project are two completely
seperate entities and citing an essay from one to contradict the
actions of another makes no sense at all.

The FSF's goal is to support the freedoms of the user to use free
software however they like, this includes open formats.

The GNU Project's goal is to create an operating system according to a
certain set of philosophies. Even then, the GNU Project also includes
GNOME which has many applications opening and creating documents such
as .doc, .ppt, .pdf etc etc.

> That's debatable, given at least one FSF webmaster refuses to link to
> UK LUGs because apparently that would imply endorsement of everything
> on their web sites.

This is totally unrelated and I think, again, you are confusing GNU/FSF.

> That seems like a refutation of a point that wasn't made.  I think the
> question is why isn't FSF developing or supporting a multimedia
> framework, instead of supporting Gnash?

Again, confusing FSF/GNU. The FSF doesn't develop software.

The FSF's support of Flash is a very clever strategic position and
absolutely essential if we are to get regular users to make the switch
to a free operating system.

No matter how much you dislike Flash, as do I, not including a free
Flash player with GNU/Linux is shortsighted at best, damaging at
worst. Flash is the defacto multimedia format on the WWW at the moment
and that isn't going to change any time soon.

Sure, build a better, open, format - but until that becomes popular
Flash is still important for the FSF to get support from regular
users.

-- 
Noah Slater <http://bytesexual.org/>

"Creativity can be a social contribution, but only in so far as
society is free to use the results." - R. Stallman

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