Re: [directory-discuss] [gnu.org #1430355] DRM free version of Firefox is available at Moz Directory

[bill-auger]

On Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:13:28 -0400 Therese wrote:
> OK, but implementing javascript is not what makes a browser
> nonfree. 

that is correct - javascript does not make the browser non-free -
it makes browsing the web with any javascript-enabled web browser
non-free, practically speaking; because one can not know what
licenses one has with the use of the external programs that the
main program will execute automatically, unless one uses librejs,
or more tedious external tools to verify the licenses of the
source code of each web page, before loading it into their
browser GUI - i think librejs would be a requirement for the FSF
to explicitly recommend any javascript-enabled web browser


On Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:13:28 -0400 Therese wrote:
> The original question was: is a DRM-free build of Firefox free
> software or not?

the original questions was:

> I wonder whether you could use this suggestion for the Free
> software replacements page.

i think those are different questions; because the former is
asking to verify an objective fact, and the latter it is asking
for an explicit recommendation - the entire quoted message below
that OP was almost exclusively about what to recommend for
windows users:

> there isn't really a reliable free software
> browser for Windows that meet FSF criteria

to answer the former question: perhaps it could be included in
the FSD - that version may not be fit for FSDG distros though;
which would make an explicit recommendation somewhat dubious -
i figured that was worth mentioning lest there be a confusion
between the FSD and the FSDG regarding what qualifies as "free
software" - because icecat exists (for those same reasons is it
FSDG-non-free), there does not seem to be a compelling reason to
recommend another libre alternative - the real solution would be
for icecat to publish windows binaries, if there is a need for
icecat at all - so i addressed the concern of having no
recommendation for windows; which points to something clearly
lacking in the directory