Non FOSS and Fedora

[Colin Charles]

On Wed, 2004-01-14 at 07:13, Sturla Holm Hansen wrote:

> > >>I'll spell it out for you. By allowing this documentation to exist on
> > >>fedoranews.org, readers are basically being told "It's ok to use and
> > >>install non-FOSS software on your computer. In fact, we'll even show you
> > >>how!".
> > >>    
> > >>
> > Perhaps I'm just a bit dense, but I would think all of us have the right 
> > to install whatever software we wish on our *personal* computers, 
> > whether it's FOSS, non-FOSS, or dental FLOSS, it's our decision.  (The 
> > question of whether the software was obtained legally or not is an 
> > *entirely* different question, although it might be an important 
> > question.)  Secondly, since this is an individual right, and since 
> > people probably have varying opinions on the details of this, I don't 
> > think trying to convince others to think the same way you think is 
> > apropriate in a *technical* help mailing list.  There are plenty of 
> > *-advocacy lists, probably one for FOSS.

(ok, I've been evil and have two replies in one)

But well said, everyone should be able to install what they want, free
or non-free software. And a website out there can provide as much
information as need be to get non-free software on there.

In fact, if someone wrote a Bitkeeper installation howto for FedoraNEWS,
I think it should be hosted without any issue. 
 
> > So if someone asks how to obtain/install an mp3 codec for mplayer, 
> > that's a technical question that should get a technical answer.  An 
> > additional note that in some jurisdictions, a royalty is due to patent 
> > holders is OK, but a sermon on FOSS is not on topic for this list, IMHO.
> > 
> > Sorry to be so blunt, but if it's a pig, you just have to call it a 
> > pig.  :-)
> 
> I agree, but I just wanted to add one more thing.
> I personally am a great FOSS-fan, and if I can avoid using non-FOSS
> software I do, but not to the degree of really loosing functionality.
> When a friend of mine started to try out Linux and found it wouldn't
> play his mp3-collection that was enough to make him give up on Linux,
> because that's one of the things he uses his pc for a lot.
> Of course I helped him solve the problem, anyone thinking I shouldn't
> have done so because mp3 is a non-FOSS format is in my
> not-at-all-humble-oppinion completely off track!
> Of course we should advocate using FOSS-software where it's possible and
> advisable, but come on!

Exactly. rms @1407 should not invoke his thoughts on non-FOSS software
on all our machines.

-- 
Colin Charles, byte at aeon.com.my
http://www.bytebot.net/