Re: [gNewSense-users] Glossy GNU ?

[Andrew Wigglesworth]

On Saturday 14 April 2007 08:01, Yoni Rabkin Katzenell wrote:
> "Kevin Dean" <address@hidden> writes:
> > No "version" of Ubuntu will be supported by the FSF. When ALL versions
> > of Ubuntu contain only Free Software, I'm sure they'll support it in a
> > heartbeat.
>
> The FSF welcome Sun releasing Java under the GPL without waiting for Sun
> to release *all* of their software under Free licenses. So why can't the
> FSF so the same with Ubuntu. Why be less forgiving of Canonical than
> Sun?
>
> > I also don't see Canonical ever making that move.
>
> I don't see the point of making a truly FSF-level Free distro without
> asking the FSF to OK it. If you want to market to the Free software
> crowd, being able to say "RMS is cool with this" gives you a lot of
> leverage.
>
> Finally, I'm personally happy to see Canonical make this move regardless
> of the outcome. It is good to see that someone still thinks that freedom
> is a worthwhile goal in and of itself. Not just getting the snazziest
> Beryl* effects "first to market".
>
> * No offence to the hard working Beryl people meant.

The FSF hailed the Sun moves on Java because it is an ongoing massive freeing 
of code under the GPL.  As was pointed out by RMS, this has been one of the 
biggest ever shifts in the software industry towards freedom.

Canonical's move (if it happens) can hardly be put in the same category.


-- 
Andrew