Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Talking about non-free software on the list

[Simon Ward]

[slightly re‐formatted]

On Sat, Feb 23, 2013 at 03:09:49AM +0100, roy evison wrote:

>> I of course meant “… Debian should not support non‐free software …”
>
> What do you think Debian should be doing, you could choose other OS's?
> Surely you pick which non-free software you want from Debian and you
> look at the pros and cons? Is not choice and user control pre-eminant?

Context is important. Note that the text quoted from my email is a
correction to the previous email. The text should read:

    “The point is that Debian should not support non‐free software if it wants
    free software advocates to promote it as a free software distribution.”

Note the “if” clause:

“if it wants” — Debian has a choice, it doesn’t have to get the endorsement.

“free software advocates to promote it as a free software distribution”
— this is important too, since there are a number of other good reasons
to promote Debian.

My next sentence only re‐iterates that it has the choice of continuing
to support non‐free software:

    “If it wants to continue supporting non-free software, that's fine,
    I won't support it as a free software distribution (and the FSF is
    less likely to than I am).”

Now, to answer your questions more specifically:

> What do you think Debian should be doing[?]

I think it should continue what it is doing: working to remove the
remaining issues with being a free software distribution.

> you could choose other OS's?

People do. Just ask Bob.

Personally, I use Debian for other reasons than simply containing free
software. It has a good philosophy, and it’s aiming to be a free
software distribution, and I like some of the people involved (those
that I have met).

> Surely you pick which non-free software you want from Debian and you
> look at the pros and cons? Is not choice and user control pre-eminant?

Debian could continue distributing non‐free software, or it could become
an entirely free software distribution and users can still choose to
install non‐free software from elsewhere. You cannot stop that on a free
system, but you can discourage it and not encourage it.

Simon
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall

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