RMS, Free software and the Ubuntu CDs

[Daniel Carrera]

On Sat, 2006-01-07 at 19:18 +0200, jean gruneberg wrote:enable 
> the universe repositories or add the plf repositories and then sudo 
> install the necessary codec and decoders.

Let's consider these statements:

1. Universe:  These are software packages submitted by non Canonical
employees. Hence, they are not supported. The issue is not that
Canonical is taking some sort of moral high ground (these packages *are*
free software) but that they choose to not enable a repository which is
unsupported. Whether you agree or disagree with this, please recognize
that (1) this is not about being purist and (2) their choice is at least
reasonable.

2. PLF:  This contains repositories of questionable legal status. Like
libdvdcss. The problem is not that Canonial is purist (after all,
libdvdcss *is* free software) but that the laws of some countries make
it *illegal* for Canonical to include it. It is not Canonical's fault
that the USA has a DMCA that prohibits if from supporting DVDs properly.


So, in both your examples, you are pointing to things that (1) have
nothing to do with purism and (2) there's not much that Canonical can do
about it. You are then being *very* unfair. You are complaining about
Canonical's free software attitude and your examples are things that
have nothing to do with a free software attitude.

If you are going to argue that Canonical's attitude re free software is
a problem, please give examples that have something to do with a free
software attitude. For example, talk about including Java.


> Sorry if you want to get the average joe to use linux this has to be 
> included whatever the source,

Even if Canonical staff risk heavy fines and possibly jail sentences in
the USA for doing so? Don't you think that's a tad unreasonable?

> putzing around with is it open is it closed

The items you listed *are* open; they are not included for other reasons
(e.g. not supported, not legally allowed).

> If we said floss is nice but... here is a distro that ...
>  sets up a dvd player if hardware detection finds it,

If you live in the USA please write to your congressman about repealing
the DMCA. This is not Canonical's fault. It's incredibly unreasonable to
blame Canonical for not wanting to break a law that might carry jail
sentences.

Cheers,
Daniel.
-- 
http://opendocumentfellowship.org
  "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the
  unreasonable man tries to adapt the world to himself.
  Therefore all progress depends on unreasonable men."
        -- George Bernard Shaw