Re: [Bug-gnuzilla] IceCat browser default on Windows 7?

[Narcis Garcia]

El 13/12/16 a les 04:28, Mart Rootamm ha escrit:
> I agree with Daniel Quintiliani upthread.
> 
> In addition,
> There are many computers with UEFI and some machines with Windows, that
> won't allow installation or running of alternative (aka non-Windows)
> operating systems.

I still haven't found any x86 computer where I couldn't install GNU/Linux.

> Some machines are tablet computers, where changing the default OS is
> more difficult, and which internal hardware is specific enough, that
> drivers for free operating systems are non-existent.

Incompatible devices with FOSS (no Cyanogenmod/OmniROM/Replicant
possibility): bad device choice.

> Suppose the UEFI BIOS is password-protected by the employer, for
> example, making it impossible to run an alternative OS from removable
> media, while the employee is permitted to run FOSS software on said PC.

Employer can be part of the malware policy here. Better to use another
device than employer's provided one.

> Other people who have purchased computers, might not remove the
> pre-installed operating system; since a proprietary OS is present, and
> that's considered part of the purchase price. A proprietary system is
> often required to be present for study—in order to support friends,
> family, and potential customers.

Incompatible devices with FOSS again? bad computer choice. And 99% of
proprietary software can be run under a virtual machine or Playonlinux/Wine.

> For yet others, changing the default operating system is a lot of work.
> Repartitioning a main storage to install an alternative operating system
> does entail risk; especially for people who are not experienced with that.

It's true the freedom becomes more difficult as more freedom and
independence you want.

> Several manufacturers have chosen not to support computers where the
> main OS is not Windows.

Here wins a good user policy: devices & software choices, and
Playonlinux/Wine or virtual machine.
FOSS community provides a lot of help, much more than
privative/proprietary "community".

> Yet other people want a Free Software Gecko-based browser for general
> browsing, hoping to get funtionality that's not present in Firefox
> anymore. Lack of a Windows version thus reduces exposure.
> 
> btw, I just discovered in GMail, that if I click on the main field of
> e-mail recipients, I can drag and drop recipients from CC and BCC fields
> to the To: field. Convenient.
> 
> -M.