> But why have they to break? Afterall, it can "break" any package.
Nope. Things like the Linux kernel or OpenOffice will not just break. Even if they do -- they can be fixed, because it is Free Software. We cannot fix applications, that are dependent on non-free web services. >> It is the same as depending on a non-free library. In the future more >> packages will start depend on non-free web API, and a single change by >> non-free provider will wipe out a major chunk of Debian. It will be very >> costly then. Look what happened with xBSD family -- they were locked out >> of the market for 3 years due to legal battle, and had to rewrite major >> chunk of OS. >> So we must act before bad things happen. > > I can't make any additional comments on this because it's still unclear > to me what's the involved package(s) we are talking about and why you are > so afraid it becomes dependant on a non-free API :-? They are already dependent on non-free API. Those packages: $ cat allpackages-debian6.txt | grep -i facebooklibjifty-plugin-authentication-facebook-perl (0.90000-1) Facebook authentication plugin for Jiftylibwww-facebook-api-perl (0.4.18-1) Facebook API implementationpidgin-facebookchat (1.67.1-1) Facebook Chat plugin for Pidginpython-facebook (0.svn20100209-3) Python wrappers for the Facebook APIpython2.5-facebook virtual package provided by python-facebookpython2.6-facebook virtual package provided by python-facebook Using those packages is a real time-bomb. I'm afraid that Free Software (KDE photo viewers) and browsers will start depending on such APIs. Many developers are unwary of it's risks. Look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debian_Free_Software_Guidelines debian-legal tests for DFSG compliance - "The Desert Island test" KDE 1 was dependent on non-free Qt1 library -- this was the reason of a long fight within the community. I can assure you that using non-free web APIs is *much* more risky than non-free library, and consequences will be fatal. (10 years from now it will result in huge code rewrites, wiping a big chunk of Debian, if we don't take care now) The problem -- is that those Web APIs will be massively used across alll and any FOSS applications 10 years from now - as mandatory modules, if FOSS developers not warned now. What needs to be done - is to warn users and developers about risks, to ensure they stay optional plug-ins, for users that want more convenience but want to sacrifice Freedom. The only difference is that the 'non-free library' is installed on Facebook server this time, rather than on local machine. The dependency effect is similar, and perhaps worse. -- -Alexey Eromenko "Technologov" -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/CAOJ6w=FRckQT=q5os4d7gafbj-h4naet2hyr51yzuudtrvo...@mail.gmail.com
