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Re: Org schemas we talked to be non-free, was: [ELPA] New package: repol


From: Eli Zaretskii
Subject: Re: Org schemas we talked to be non-free, was: [ELPA] New package: repology.el
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:13:38 +0200

> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 23:47:42 +0300
> From: Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>
> Cc: ulm@gentoo.org, rms@gnu.org, dgutov@yandex.ru, ams@gnu.org,
>   arthur.miller@live.com, emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> I understand it. If that schema defines a document format and document
> format cannot be modified then I do not see how software that handles
> that document format is free. Programmers should be able to improve
> the format or make it incompatible as it is part of the overall
> document creation. It is not software but data used by software. Data
> should be modifiable in my opinion.

Modifications of a schema produce a file that can no longer be used
with the same collection of documents and protocols.  So such
modifications are not useful.  I very much hope that we as a movement
will not insist on abstract "freedom" to make useless modifications
just for the sake of modifications.  To me, Free Software movement is
a pragmatic movement that picks up its fights wisely, and this
particular fight isn't, it's a Quixotic fight for a useless goal.

> Let us say enriched mode in Emacs, if it would not be modifiable by
> programmers who fork Emacs, I am not sure if Emacs would be free
> software.

Enriched mode doesn't have or use a schema, so this example is
inapplicable.

> How about Org mode itself? If its format would not be modifiable, then
> we would not have software similar on Org or based on Org mode, such
> as:
> 
> OneModel — an Alternative to emacs org-mode
> https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=16/04/23/0149257

Is OneModel compatible with Org?  If it is, then it's an extension,
not some modification.  If it isn't compatible, then it's simply a
different schema, unrelated to Org.

> I just hope that Libreoffice is not using non-free OASIS schemas.

They would be silly if they didn't.



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