Non-free drivers (Re: Invitation to ubuntu developers)

[Kevin Perros]

> What do you do for those how are, um, network challenged? I know many of
> those who would like to install Ubuntu on their systems but do not have
> reliable internet access. How do you ensure that they are not disadvantaged?
> 
> Doug.
> 

It is the Third I post the following on that list, but on the contrary 
to many posts, I believe this is signal and not noise :)

Given the absence of feedback about that idea, I understand that that 
may annoy some, because it has been the subject of much Ubunutu 
marketing : the "one CD does all" idea.

A one CD only is a bad idea : it often crash (50% of time in our offices 
on Dell Optiplex 270, a very very widespread system) if the system have 
256 Mo of memory, because of the race : free memory to read packages, oh 
Gnome is scheduled, we must reload all gnome pages because they have 
been discarded from memory to be able to read data, eventually free 
memory where packets where read, oh re-read the same packages data... 
it's a mess. Many people say as an answer that 256 Mo boxes aren't that 
used nowadays and at the same time that we must not distribute DVDs 
because some have no CD's  ... quite funny contradiction :)

More over, to go further than what is said in the quoted post : a one CD 
distribution is crap for people who have no internet access. Ubuntu is 
said to be destined to Africa : how many have an internet access in 
Africa, and other not-in-the-G6 countries (I removed Russia and China). 
On a DVD or a 6 CDs set, you can package software not only for an 
enterprise oriented use, but also for home usecases : music recording, 
composition by example.

And overall, this is the solution to our problems : package a Free 
non-live DVD, a Free non-live CD set a non-Free non live DVD, a non-Free 
non-live CD set, and a non Free live CD. End users want simple install 
setup, and they have different needs. That's why Mandriva has roughly 20 
CDs/DVDs sets.

If only non-free CDs are packaged for the next release, be ready to 
suffer a huge amount of critics.

Ubuntu has been widespread because of Debian's reputation. People wanted 
an easy-to use rock solid, free distribution. I know a lot of free 
software activists, former Debian users, that have switch to Ubuntu. 
Many LUGs now install Ubuntu whereas they used to install Mandriva, 
Fedora. Those *ARE* the network that have made Ubunutu what it is, and 
be sure that many with revert to their former habits if Ubuntu follow 
the non-free direction. Remember how Suse was treated before the 
free-release of QT. See how Novell is being treated.