Re: When can we expect a version 1.0 of the GNU Operating System?

[Felipe López]

On 21/11/14 10:33, Alfred M. Szmidt wrote:
>    > The priority of the GNU project has always been to free users,
>    > not to develop the GNU system.  Since we have a free system, our
>    > priorities are to work on furthering the goal of freedom for all
>    > computer users.
> 
>    The Web site of the GNU Project emphasizes how important freedom is
>    for users, but it says that the GNU Project was launched in 1984 to
>    develop the GNU system and that its primary goal is to offer a
>    Unix-compatible system that would be 100% free software. [1]
> 
> Which we achived back in the 90s, so our goal is to continue to make
> sure that we provide a 100% free software system by replacing any new
> fangled software that deprives users of their free.  It isn't to make
> things easier (though important), or technically superious (also
> important): a free software program that is impossible to install and
> technically inferior is still better than the alternative.
> 
>    I think you are confusing the goals of the GNU Project with the
>    goals of the Free Software Foundation.
> 
> The goals of the FSF and GNU project are exactly the same: kick the
> software hoarders out.
> 
>    The release of the GNU Operating System is very important for
>    freedom.
> 
> Maybe it is important, but it would be important for the GNU project
> as such, not for user freedom since it does not bring anything new to
> the able (and by this I mean in the sense of freedom -- we already
> have a 100% free system in the form of gNS, Trisquel, etc).  In the
> long run, I think projects like GNU Linux-Libre and GNUzilla are
> _very_ important project, since that really shows the weakness of the
> "plain" versions and how the subjugate users.  GUIX does bring
> interesting technical advantages though, but that is not a goal of the
> GNU project -- though we tend to strive for it anyway.
> 
>    Currently, there are distributions like Trisquel and gNewSense,
>    which are free according to the GNU guidelines for software
>    distributions. [3] I have used them and I have contributed to
>    them. But when you have problems as a user (even as a developer)
>    with those distributions you usually have to go upstream to deal
>    with developers, users, software, documentation, and forums that
>    don't care about freedom.
> 
> You will always have these problems, GNU contains programs not part of
> the GNU project.
> 
>    With a release of an official GNU Operating System a better
>    computing environment would be available for the whole world. So it
>    does help achieve the goals of the GNU Project and the goals of the
>    FSF.
> 
>    I don't understand why you think otherwise,
> 
> Because I don't see how it helps to free users: GUIX is a 100%
> operating system, so is gNS.  From the GNU projects point of view, the
> goal is simple, 100% free operating system.  Since we have that, and
> we have other challanges to fight it is clear that those challanges
> are of higher priority, either software like LibreJS, seeing that we
> can still boot our computers with coreboot (not even a GNU project or
> entirely aligned with our goals), or working on music and videos
> formats unencumbered by patents like FLAC, and Theora.  And whatever
> else these nasty people will throw our way...
> 

I disagree with your view, Alfred.

While all the projects you mention share the paramount goal of freedom
for users, all of them have other specific goals, and that's why they
are individual projects:

* The GNU Project exists to develop a libre operating system.
* LibreJS exists to develop a libre add-on for Mozilla-based browsers
that will help users deal with the JavaScript problem you mention.
* Xiph.org (FLAC, Theora, Vorbis, etc.) purpose is to protect "the
foundations of Internet multimedia from control by private interests"
and "to support and develop free, open protocols and software to serve
the public, developer and business markets."

You are not only confusing the goals of the GNU Project with those of
the FSF but with the goals of all the projects you mentioned.

What I get from your answers is that you think that the GNU Project
should focus on the goals of all those projects (which already have
their own people working on them) instead of focusing on releasing an
official GNU Operating System.

So, I think I'll wait for more answers.


-- 
Luis Felipe López Acevedo
http://sirgazil.bitbucket.org/

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