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

[Simon Ward]

On Wed, Jun 04, 2008 at 03:39:04PM +0100, Lucy wrote:
> It's not a convenience, it's essential IMO. My PC won't work with the
> free ATI driver and most people won't consider an operating system
> that doesn't provide them with Internet access. If we were talking
> about technical users it might be different, but I notice so far that
> the majority of people on this list do not use gNewSense. Why should
> they recommend it to new users if they don't even bother to use it
> themselves (myself included)?

I had the choice.  I chose Debian a long time ago because I found it the
easiest system for me to maintain.  Now I choose it because I know it.
It forces me to make a conscious decision to install non‐free software.
There are probably other reasons to pick, and freedom isn’t the only
one.

Now, we’re not promoting software that people necessarily know, or is
good to maintain.  We’re promoting software that’s free.  The best free
software distribution I have heard of is gNewSense (at least it seems to
be the popular choice).  Although I don’t use gNewSense, I have the
technical ability to learn and help people with it.  I have no problem
promoting it.

I do have a problem promoting a distribution in the name of free
software that installs non‐free software without having the user make an
informed decision.  I understand these may be considered bugs, but
fixing them is not a high priority.  That, I’m uncomfortable with.

Simon
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall

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