Re: Question of Aiding and Abetting Proprietary (or non-free) Software in GNU projects

[andrew]

On 22/05/15 11:25AM, Yasuaki Kudo wrote:
> While I really like and use GNU Guix as my primary Linux OS
The term "Linux OS" is a bit confusing to me, "Linux-based OS" would
make more sense as Linux is literally a kernel :)

> the integration of 'Proprietary' (as far as I know, even the regular
> Linux Kernel package with proprietary device drivers is considered
> proprietary - so Guix comes with LibreLinux) is considered so
> distasteful and against the protocol, thus the technical knowhow
> cannot be discussed in the mailing lists for Guix.
Can you elaborate on what technical knowhow is related to nonfree
software in Guix?

> We can always establish parallel communities and go it alone but it
> still leaves the commutation rift between the parallel and the
> original teams, sifting the efficient development for desired
> features.
Typically the people in the "parallel" communities also contribute back
to us, and the only main difference is they're (hopefully pragmatically)
enabling use of nonfree software; These people are welcome to take i.e.
general Guix knowledge and questions to the primary lists and leave
nonfree stuff on their lists (which are of less value to here anyways).

> Having said this, I see that GNU Emacs works on Microsoft Windows??
> How in the world is this done if the GNU's attitude is absolute zero
> tolerance of anything Proprietary?
Having nonfree software in an otherwise free operating system isn't the
same as porting free software to nonfree operating systems.  (There are
people who could elaborate better than me on this issue.)

Quoting Emacs's Website:
> The purpose of the GNU system is to give users the freedom that
> proprietary software takes away from its users. Proprietary operating
> systems (like other proprietary programs) are an injustice, and we aim
> for a world in which they do not exist.
> 
> To improve the use of proprietary systems is a misguided goal. Our aim,
> rather, is to eliminate them. We include support for some proprietary
> systems in GNU Emacs in the hope that running Emacs on them will give
> users a taste of freedom and thus lead them to free themselves.

... which should explain it with fair clarity.

> I wish to leave my sincere comment that in no way I am trying to
> create a hostile conversation - I just want to know the dynamics of
> these seemingly contradictory outcomes.   For example, is Emacs for
> Windows indeed developed by a parallel, non-GNU-aligned community?
In most circumstances we assume discussion to be of kind origin, which I
indeed believe you are.

--
Andrew Yu
https://wew.andrewyu.org/

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