[gNewSense-users] Re: Wikipedia

[Yavor Doganov]

Matthew Flaschen wrote:
> 
> It currently seems likely that gNewSense will remain unpopular simply
> because it doesn't use the most recent free software.

I think it will be still unpopular even if it is synced on a regular
basis.  This is unavoidable and expected.  But I see your point.

> The maintainers have indicated (if I understand correctly) that they are
> not accepting additional official packages, but that they will recommend
> community repositories that are actively maintained.  

Maybe that is a wise decision for now.  

> I see little reason that people shouldn't submit new free programs
> to Debian and wait for it to propagate down.  

Really?  If you are maintaining a program that is part of the GNU
Project, would you feel comfortable seeing it in Debian crippled?  And
then arriving, after an unknown period, to gNewSense, passing through
Ubuntu, crippled in the same way?  

> It is a failure, but not a critical one because it is still possible to
> use entirely free software.

Certainly it is possible -- it is possible with Debian, Fedora,
Gentoo, etc.  The question is how we educate the users.  If the
community, on a general basis, decides that non-free software is an
integral part of every significant distribution -- that clearly is a
failure that cannot be corrected by Builder.  It can be corrected if
we BUILD the whole thing matching the values and the standpoint of our
Movement and the ideals we fight for.