On Jun 17, Santiago Vila Doncel wrote > Sorry, I didn't explain well. I said: > > *----------------------------------------------------------------------- > I wonder why we are supporting this packages in the `contrib' section: > > * whose copyright permission notices (or patent problems) allow only > distribution of compiled binaries (and thus of which only binaries > are available) > * allow free use only for a trial period (shareware) > * are demonstration programs lacking vital functionality > (crippleware) > > Are there many of them? > *---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Why do we want to have such packages in our FTP mirrors? > Do we really want to distribute crippleware? > > I was talking about making contrib smaller, so that, by policy, some of > the packages that are now allowed could not be distributed in *any* > section at all.
In general we should distribute the programs because people want them. Two programs that spring to mind are Netscape and possibly XFree86 beta releases (which I believe won't be produced anymore). ATM I still think that Netscape is the best browser and will have some features that other browsers (eg Mnenomic) won't have for a long time. I don't want to have to but up with a bad program just because someone else disagrees with the copyright statement. It is up to _me_ to choose whether I want non-free packages on my system - not Debian. Xfree86 betas were only available as binaries and were time-limited. However some of them supported important cards (e.g. Matrox or Diamond IIRC) or had important bug-fixes. As long as the user is warned of the expiry date in the description, I think these should be distributed. Maybe we should have a vote on what should be in the various sections. I for one found the choices a bit limited last time. Adrian -- email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Artificial intelligence - the http://www.poboxes.com/adrian.bridgett | art of making computers act PGP key available on public key servers | like those in the movies -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
