> Jules Bean <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Is Debian a paying customer here? Is it particularly appropriate for > > > Debian to approach developers in this way? Isn't this something the > > > XForms developers can decide for themselves? > > > > There is no reason why we shouldn't approach them explaining why we think > > it would be a good idea. They don't have to agree. > > It's one thing if people decide to Open Source their own product of > their own accord. Jehovah Witness/Hare Krishna tactics is a whole > other matter and does nothing to better society. It's only a huge > annoyance for everyone and serves to discredit the "movement".
Many software authors simply have never thought about making their programs Free. For example, the mmv package used to be in non-free. I mailed (and wrote a snail mail even) to him, politely informing him that at the moment we were unable to distribute his software with Debian, and that I thought this was apity for such a nice package. I also wrote why I think GPL is particularly usefull for software. He wrote back saying he was very surprised to hear people are still using his mmv package, and that he was very willing to re-licence it. It's now back in main, free to use for everybody. Things like this have happened many times, and it's one of the good signs of Free Software nowadays. On the other hand, with XForms I personally wouldn't bother contacting the author. Here you have someone who I'm sure has been asked many times to release the source, and up to now hasn't done so. So he's unlikely to change his ways -- but still one can try. > Now, there's nothing wrong with independent, non-badgering type of > promotion of your religion. It's just aggression and badgering that I > have a problem with, personally. People should be free to evaluate > the religion on its own merits and without any pressure. The best > thing to do is to make the information available. yes, and making the information available is all that was suggested to do, in the XForms case, and in all other cases. So, I'm glad to read that you agree with us..
