Working with FSF on Debian Free-ness assessment

Debian is not free because it mentions non-free software?

Astounding.

Predictable, but none the less astounding.

Zealotry in anything leads to uncomfortable extremes.

I thought the main reason Debian was considered not free by the FSF was the presence of the contrib/non-free repositories. I read the original post and it appears that is the stumbling block, not mentioning something. I've railed against zealotry in the past but this doesn't seem to be an example of it unless you consider the FSF to be a group of zealots by virtue of their definition of free.

Caitlyn,

So not mentioning those repositories, just having them in existence? That's even more extreme.

"unless you consider the FSF to be a group of zealots"

I've said it before, I'll likely say it again: Richard Stallman is on record as believing proprietary code to be so bad that it should be prohibited by law.

If that's not zealotry, I don't know what is.

Why is it good to do something with zeal, or to be zealous, but bad to be a zealot?

Quoting:Richard Stallman is on record as believing proprietary code to be so bad that it should be prohibited by law.

Bob,

May be he meant so bad as in quality not as in being proprietary. :-)

NoDough,

It usually refers to someone who is narrowly focused, for whom nothing exists but what they are zealous about.

When "zealous" just means enthusiastic, I agree, it's not a bad thing.

Fettoosh, this has been addressed recently.

Bob is actually right about RMS. He wants to see proprietary software banned. It's one of the reasons I generally don't support the FSF.

The objection to the non-free and contrib repositories is not that they exist, but that they are directly supported by the distro and easily accessible in a default OS load. It's not quite as extreme as Bob makes it out to be.

I like FSF. I like Debian.

The question, in my view, is, "how do we get There, from Here."

I think that up till now, Debian has been walking the fine line between ideals, pragmatism and expediency remarkably well. I'm not sure that this latest proposal maintains that balance.

I tend to agree that I should be able to open a file w/out restrictions, if RMS is a zealot then toss me a paddle--fighting the current stream is hard...

Seriously, if you can't agree with this statement: I agree that I should be able to open a file w/out restrictions





There be some marbles loose... The kicker is what do I plan to open the file with and do I intend to make it go... or modify it??? Either way you probably agreed with the statement and it still baffles you or not.

Still, you have to be impressed by the craftsmanship here.

Building a sailing ship in a bottle is nothing compared to jamming an old Pontiac into a teapot.

"easily accessible in a default OS load"

Fairly said.

Yes, Debian does make it easy _if_ accessing the contrib and non-free sections is what the administrator wants to do.

I think it would be fair for the FSF to give Debian "main" their "Free Software" stamp of approval, since by default no non-free software is included.

Building a sailing ship in a bottle is nothing compared to jamming an old Pontiac into a teapot.

I hear they had to use the LaMans method to get it out.

"the LaMans method"

I've heard some things are easier with Steve McQueen.

OW OW OW OW OW!!!!!

Mommy make the BAD MAN STOP!

Children, please!

If you can't keep up with The Master, have the good sense to bow down and genuflect.

First you get down on your knees Fiddle with your roseries Bow you head with great respect and genuflect-genuflect-genuflect

Make a cross on your abdomen When in Rome do like a Roman Ave Maria Gee it's good to see-ya Gettin exstatic and Sorta dramatic and Doing the Dinotrac rag!

That's better.

Sacrificed the neighbor's outdoor grill to Dino. Was gonna do a live sacrifice but couldn't find anyone to sit on it. Just blew it up instead with an ominous Latin requiem playing in the background.

@helios --

That's fine. I expect nothing more than the best you can do. I'm very easy-going that way.

Quoting: "the LaMans method"

Make it stop, mommy make it stop....