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MAME emulator is giving incentive to use non-free software


From: Jean Louis
Subject: MAME emulator is giving incentive to use non-free software
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2016 23:55:16 +0200

I have already sent request to FSF to review this issue. But here it is
for the list.

I am free software user. I don't want my children to find MAME on my
computer. I have 3 children. They will be using free software
distributions, with free software BIOS on free hardware.

I don't want my children to find MAME on computer. I don't want them to
search for software in GuixSD and find MAME, and later to find ROMs,
which are non-free.

Including MAME or any other emulator, even though non-free as such, if
such emulator is practically of no use to free software users without
non-free additions or parts, firmware, blobs, or ROMs, is giving
incentive to free software users to use non-free.

Put yourself in the view point of free software user. What such user is
going to do with WINE? What is he/she/it going to do practically with
MAME? Nothing. They will have no use of that software. Single cases are
exceptions. Exceptions may download it themselves, they don't need to
get it delivered by free software distribution of GNU.

My username is jmarciano. Please see discussion here:
https://gnunet.org/bot/log/guix/2016-03-28

I cannot believe that MAME and WINE and such emulators are to be
included in free software distributions. MAME clearly gives incentive to
use non-free software.

Further, that is hypocricy.

I am on GNU system due to non-free software. And according to these
guidelines here:
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html

there is, I cite:

"Please Teach Users about Free Software

To establish lasting freedom, just giving users freedom isn't
sufficient. It is necessary also to teach them to understand what it
means and to demand it.

I am asking you to review and correct if possible, the inclusion of
packages such as: WINE and MAME into GNU distribution GuixSD.

Everybody can download WINE and MAME onto their computers. There may be
legitimate reasons to use such software, but what about practical
results?

Enabling both WINE, MAME or any other emulator that requires non-free
software to run, or that helps non-free software to run on free GNU
distribution, is not in alignment with "teach them to understand what it
means and to demand it".

I am demanding it now.

Jean Louis



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