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[gNewSense-users] Not all GPL'd programs are free software.


From: J.B. Nicholson-Owens
Subject: [gNewSense-users] Not all GPL'd programs are free software.
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:57:01 -0500
User-agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.14 (X11/20080501)

Kelly wrote:
The file is licensed under the GPL.  As such it is *free* software.

Sadly it's not that simple. Apparently some programmers distribute software under the GNU GPL without supplying the complete corresponding source code for that software (Linux kernel drivers with proprietary firmware, for instance). Proprietary software is not free software, so in 100% free software operating systems (such as gNewSense GNU/Linux) any non-free software must be removed.

It takes careful analysis know whether a table of hex, for instance, is non-free software or something innocuous such as a lookup table that could have been computed instead. The latter wouldn't pose a freedom problem but the former certainly would.




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