Hi Kirill, I have a few questions that may help clarify your proposal.
Would this be a special installer that is only available on certain sites (like a special download site from Google and/or Yahoo)? Or, let me ask it another way. Would there be a way to get an up-to-date installer *without* the toolbar option even included in the installer? And, if so, would the "official" installer from OpenOffice.org be a toolbar-free or a toolbar-included installer? Would the toolbar option be selected to install by default? (If it is something that the users has to actively click a button to say "Yes I want the toolbar" that may silence some critics - not all, but some.) Would this "partnership" generate monatary income for the project, or just greater publicity (as Google/Yahoo would be actively promoting the download of OpenOffice.org)? If so, who would actually control the money? Where would the money go? On 2/3/07, Bernhard Dippold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> So we either can play fundamentalism (Stallman-style) and pass good > opportunity in the name of being free (also free from customers) or > be pragmatic (like Linus Torvalds) and sacrifice a little to gain a > lot. That's a bit polemic, isn't it? - and you don't know if you sacrifice a lot to gain a little.
First of all, OpenOffice.org cannot be Stallman-style fundamentalistic, (despite what some people want to believe) because of (a) their inclusion of Java-based components, (b) their total dependence on Sun Microsystems - and not volunteer contributors, and (c) their LGPL license. So endevouring to cling to this unacheivable goal seems like a waste of time to me. OpenOffice.org will never be Stallman-style "FREE Software". I don't see any point in trying to be. (For OpenOffice.org or for any piece of software. I am much more of a Linus than a Richard.) Secondly, by doing this as a project, generating our own non-Sun money, we would actually be making ourselves more free. Many people won't contribute to this project because of its tight relationship to Sun - this would help break that image. I think that if there was a way (even if it wasn't as visible as the other) to download OpenOffice.org - the latest release - without any toolbars or options for toolbars - and as long as where the money goes and how it is distributed is handled well - then it is a good idea. --- - Chad Smith http://www.chadwsmith.com/
