[Fsf-Debian] [Fsf-collab] Random thoughts...

[Kete]

Sorry, I forgot to "Reply All" / "Reply List". Hi, this is my first 
post/reply. Paul, please feel free to send your replies, again (or new 
ones).

On 07/07/2012 09:55 AM, Paul Tagliamonte wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 07, 2012 at 03:45:37PM +0200, Henry Jensen wrote:
>
> We should also block nonfree websites, like gmail, google, yahoo.
>
I think they should be called something like "privacy disrespecting" 
instead.
>>
>> - All mentioning of non-free software, including contrib and non-free
>> repo, must be purged from all official Debian web sites, including wiki
>> sites.
>>
>> - In the official Debian forums and mailing lists, there shouldn't be
>> any advice how to run a non-free program, see [3]. So, if any user asks
>> how to run a non-free program on a Debian mailing list, it should be
>> clarified that such discussions are unwanted. That means, that some
>> kind of moderation should be established to be sure, that such unwanted
>> advices or recommendations doesn't happen.
>>
>
> IMHO this is getting absurd.
>
> There is non-free software, our users will use it, and pretending it
> doesn't exist is a pretty bad idea.
>
> We can provide unofficial support for such things *outside* the project
> (as it currently is), but draw the line more clearly.
>
> Heck, non-free won't get built on the same buildds as main.
>
> To be absolutely clear - I've never sponsored or worked on non-free
> code, but I understand why it exists.
>
>
> I understand your point, I just don't think putting our fingers in our
> ears and yelling "lalalalala" is going to solve anything.
>
> We should *educate* users to make big-boy and girl decisions.
>
> -Paul

People who use/make libre software have no interest whatsoever in 
software that cannot be owned, manipulated and shared, so if people who 
use proprietary software try to find help with it on a libre distro 
forum or IRC channel, no one would help them: everyone who spoke would 
only tell them what's wrong with it, why they don't use it, why they use 
libre software, etc.

Nobody puts their metaphorical fingers in their ears and ignores 
proprietary software; actually, if we like the applications enough and 
know how to disassemble them, we remove the non-free parts and package 
them as freed software

Regards