RMS, Free software and the Ubuntu CDs

[Michael T. Richter]

On Sun, 2006-02-07 at 14:01 +1000, Matthew Palmer wrote:

> > > > Does being 100% free make for better software for the masses, no.



> > > Try asking an Xorg developer whether proprietary nVidia/ATI drivers is
> > > making it easier for them to support Xorg on that hardware and provide a
> > > better Xorg "for the masses".  



> > That wasn't the question asked.  The question asked was "does being 100%
> > free make for better software for the masses?"  Your answer was a
> > diversion from the question.



> To rewrite the question in more specific terms: "would Xorg being 100% free
> make for better software for the masses?".  Answer: in the opinion of (at
> least) one Xorg developer, yes.



I've gone back to Jean's original post which posed this question.
Nowhere in that question did it narrow the terms like you did.  In fact
it was talking about the broader end-user experience of using a Linux
distro, not narrowly focused on any particular part of it.  

So, yes, indeed, if you set up a straw man by rewriting the original
question with constraints never originally stated your answer does not
divert from the question.  If all you aspire to is knocking over straw
men, then a resounding Bravo! is yours.  If, however, you planned to
make a point salient to the original question?  Not so impressive.

--
Michael T. Richter
Email: ttmrichter at gmail.com, mtr1966 at hotpop.com
MSN: ttmrichter at hotmail.com, mtr1966 at hotmail.com; YIM:
michael_richter_1966; AIM: YanJiahua1966; ICQ: 241960658; Jabber:
mtr1966 at jabber.cn

"I would not flinch from sacrificing a million lives for India's
liberty!" --Mahatma Gandhi
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