From: Brad [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > While getting rid of non-free is a noble goal, i don't feel > that Debian > can do it now without losing support from some parts of the Free > Software community (look at the reaction over KDE, and then think of > Netscape, LyX, etc etc etc) and without losing a good measure of > functionality. i also question the removal of software that is open > source but not DFSG free because of restrictions on commercial sale.
I agree with this sentiment. Debian is by far my preferred Linux distribution, but the "DFSG free or nothing" attitude is a little hard-core for me. I don't see any problem with segregating non-DFSG-free stuff from the fully DFSG-free software, but rejecting it altogether from Debian does little to help. I am aware that one of the key distinguishing features of Debian is that it is a strictly free system - however, focusing solely on this misses the equally important point, that Debian is by far the most robust and consistent Linux distribution, which is a strong argument that free software can and does produce quality software. The endless issues over free vs non-free and other license-related issues makes Debian look more like license nit-pickers than anything else. This doesn't seem to me to be a good image to have. It's not done the GNU project much good, and it would be a shame if Debian had the same problems. The present situation is a good compromise between ideals and realism. Why change something that works? Paul.
