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

[MJ Ray]

Just to answer the questions asked:-

Lucy <address@hidden> wrote:
> On 05/06/2008, MJ Ray <address@hidden> wrote: [...]
> > http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/licensing
>
> I don't think that the article is particularly clear, but it seems to
> talk about all software from main (which afaik would include
> kernel+some modules). The line where it talks about application
> software is slightly misleading as I think they still mean all
> software. If you are concerned why not talk to someone from Ubuntu
> directly?

I have several times.  I think the last one was after they shacked up
with MozCorp so soon after it bit the debian project.  These days, I'm
trying to talk to people who are open to discussion, as in
http://mjr.towers.org.uk/writing/reflections/Talk_with_People_who_want_to_Discuss.html
but if anyone is willing to work through the broken
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/ (every link seems to go to
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/need_login which just redirects me to
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/ again) then please try.

I don't think they mean all software.  The page says quite clearly
that "Documentation, Firmware, and Drivers" aren't covered.  That
seems even less inclusive than FSF's software == programs claim (which
I disagree with, as regular readers may recall...).

> > In other words, Ubuntu seems in roughly the same category as the
> >  OpenCD... maybe even less free because the CD can contain
> >  non-free-software when it's not an application program, whereas the
> >  non-free bits needed to use the OpenCD aren't on the OpenCD, so the
> >  group isn't distributing it.
>
> So it's okay to encourage the continued use of non-free software just
> so long as we don't distribute it?

We must have different ideas of what is encouraging!  I think things
like the OpenCD encourage free software use by people who don't yet
understand that it's a viable and realistic option.  If they enjoy
using the free software from the OpenCD, it's going to be easier to
persuade them to try an entire free software operating system.  It's a
stepping stone, like the mp3 or wma or whatever it was (of Cory
Doctorow IIRC) that persuaded me to switch to Ogg Vorbis and Theora as
much as possible.

Anecdotally,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef)
Webmaster for hire, statistician and online shop builder for a small
worker cooperative http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
(Notice http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html) tel:+44-844-4437-237