Re: [gNewSense-users] Re: free is not sufficient

[Anthony Patarini]

Karl Goetz wrote:
> The larger problem is the plugins (i thought)
This may be true. I'm not sure, but it's really the same issue - 
Firefox, by default, points users to non-free software and this should 
be changed. There are many Free plugins for Firefox, like 
mozilla-plugin-vlc in the repos and the GNASH browser plugin.
> > Ndiswrapper is a bit more troublesome, in that most of its purpose is 
> > to run non-free drivers. However, there are Free Software drivers for 
>
> really? i didn't know about that.
Yep. An example can be found at http://cipe-win32.sourceforge.net/ as 
linked from the NDISWrapper project page. This issue came up regarding 
ndiswrapper on Debian (I believe several times) a while back as well. 
Google-ing "debian ndiswrapper contrib" yields several such results.
> All programming languages can be used for both types of software - 
> talking about them doesn't make your point.
Actually I think it does... the point I'm making is that the tools in 
question are freedom agnostic and by removing a specific tool because it 
MIGHT be used to run non-free software really seems like we're trying to 
police the user. Is that really what freedom is about? Deliberately 
making life more difficult for those who would use non-free components 
AS WELL AS those who want to run atypical Free Software? My personal 
ideal situation is one in which gNewSense provides absolutely no 
non-free software by default, and does not link to or advocate the use 
of non-free software, but does not waste the effort to remove components 
that are Free in and of themselves.
> removing anything that interacts with non-free isnt functional... 
> unless we dont need openoffice :)
> kk
I don't get your meaning, sorry. :(