Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Talking about non-free software on the list

[MJ Ray]

Bob Ham wrote:
> Providing instructions with a warning that to follow the instructions 
> is bad, gives a conflicting message.  The inclusion of any instuctions 
> at all implies that following them is OK.  The words against following 
> them come as an after-thought and, in opinion, with less power.

I disagree.  That's like suggesting that GNU Mailman's thanks to
Atlassian http://wiki.list.org/dashboard.action implies it's OK to use
their proprietary software, or that the BBC are implying some common
frauds are OK because they explain how they work.  People can explain
how to do things without meaning it's good to do so.

Heck, anyone who thinks explanation is endorsement must get really
cross about all those newsreaders and teachers in favour of genocide
and so on!

> The omission of warnings by a third party is only hypothesised. [...]

Far from it!

https://github.com/GhostSquad57/Steam-Installer-for-Wheezy is one that
floated past me today, which not only doesn't warn about the
particular package, but doesn't mention what the "jockey-common"
answer does to your software source settings (leading the amusing
comment "It adds the Ubuntu repositories to your Debian
sources.list?!? Seriously? Are you guys trying to mess up your
systems?" by cbmuser on reddit).

There are more instuctions on how to install non-free software created
every day, sadly.

Regards,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op.
http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer.
In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/