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

[Dave Crossland]

2008/6/4 Benjamin Webb <address@hidden>:
>> Also, the group is full of people who really get free software. They can
>> use Ubuntu or Debian and avoid the non-free stuff, much in the same way
>> the FSF previously ran Debian on systems.
>
> How many people strip the firmware out of ubuntu or debian systems?

Proprietary programs in the Linux kernel were overlooked in the past
because the Linux kernel project made removing them a very large task
and there were more important things to do; this recently changed,
first with the gNewSense kernel and then last month the linux-libre
kernel package (look up 'linux' in the FSF Free Software Directory :-)

Before gNewSense, many people would use Debian with only packages from
"main" since proprietary software in 'main' packages are considered
bugs.

The point here is the _policy_ of the distribution MFS distributes to
people; if the policy is not to distribute proprietary software, but
some accidently gets in, it will be removed. If the policy is to
distribute proprietary software, when will it ever be removed?

>> Maybe getting people to using a free browser, free mail client, free
>> office suite, etc would be a better way to get started?
>
> So, why is it okay to encourage people to run free software on a
> non-free OS. But it is not okay to get them to run (less) non-free
> software on a free OS.

Because it is about policy - aka, their goals and direction and momentum.

> Put another way, why is swapping out all the higher level apps in
> someones computing experience (web browser, office suite) okay, but
> encouraging them to swap out the low level stuff but not some of the
> middle (drivers) and higher (flash) level stuff is not okay?

Because that helps them to set the goal of 100% free software and to
achieve it: doing this, their data is in free formats, and they become
accustomed to the UI of free applications. This sets them up to switch
to gNewSense or another fully free distribution with minimum hassle;
they know when they switch OS, they will have to learn a lot of stuff
and some things will be different and not work the same or at all.

Swapping the low level stuff first means that they will want WINE to
run familiar windows applications and access the data they were
working on last week, and will never get to 100% free software. Like
almost every existing GNU/Linux user.

-- 
Regards,
Dave

I support www.gnuherds.org -
democratic free software jobs