Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Manchester Anarchist Bookfair, 7th June 2008

[Simon Ward]

On Wed, Jun 04, 2008 at 01:42:28PM +0100, Lucy wrote:
> I think you make some good points. However, I think that Ubuntu does
> more than most distros to make their users aware of when they are
> using proprietary software. I'm thinking mainly of the driver manager,
> which warns the user when they are using non-free drivers and informs
> them of the implications.

That driver manager serves the purpose of getting something working
(admirable) regardless of the freedom.  It explicitly aids the use of
proprietary software, as opposed to the situation in other distributions
that either don’t explicitly offer you the choice of the proprietary
software.  It’s “convenient”, at the cost of freedom.

> However, I wouldn't recommend gNewSense to a new user, as I believe
> the lack of hardware compatibility and lack of flash would prevent
> them from using it.

Doesn’t it have Gnash?  The current version in Debian Testing works with
(some of) YouTube :)

I don’t run gNewSense either, but I think there are many misconceptions
floating around about hardware support.

I have a Thinkpad and an Eee that both run Debian with mostly free
software.  The non‐freeness is limited to just the wireless drivers: The
Thinkpad with the binary blob, the Eee with the madwifi drivers.  That’s
the _only_ thing that I can see not working with gNewSense, unless
they’ve done something stupid.  (I look forward to the free ath5x
drivers.)

There are wireless devices supported entirely by free software.  In that
case you will have a fully working, free software based system.

> I think it's better to give them a 90% free software OS with a better
> chance of working than a 100% free OS.

Me too, I think, and as Dave said, they would have to be informed.
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall

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