Richard Stallman wrote:
I'm curious how you can recomend an OS, like gNewSense that only runs on
non-free hardware, that
has required non-free software to be used in it's creation?
How do you do these things? Perhaps I do them the same way.
The term "non-free hardware" is misleading, because the issues that
divide free software from non-free software do not apply to hardware.
There are no copiers for hardware and it has no source code.
Software cannot be placed on the floor like a table for 20 years.
There is no 20 year varnish that one can put on software like they can
with a table made of wood.
For more information, see also
http://z505.com/gng/ftf.htm
Software has replicative abilities.. while wood has the ability to
magically hold things on it in thin air, such as plates and silverware.
Software cannot hold plates and silverware.. and there are no machines
for software to make them into objects that hold plates and silverware.
Because there are no machines to make software hold silverware and
plates, and because software cannot be put on the floor and left for 20
years.. it is okay to CHARGE for software code.. but not for tables.
Tables have these magical qualities that software doesn't - holding
plates and spoons. Software has the magical quality of replicating.. but
it doesn't have the magical quality of being able to put varnish on it
and sit on the floor for 20 years.
Furthermore, our table freedom is in much much greater jeopardy than
software.. because tables are required to eat. Software is not required
to eat.
Wood can also be replicated, and people with axes can have free exercise
while cutting the tree down. There is no need for charging for wood
tables.. one can simply charge for his Axe time that he spent.
Furthermore, many Axe men enjoy cutting and getting free exercise
without the need to be compensated.. and then only the fuel to transport
the wood needs to be charged for.. but the table itself shal never ever
be purchased, as it is unethical to sell a table.. and after all seeds
can be replicated so trees grow. And the table takes much much less work
to varnish than it does to maintain software that constantly has more
and more bugs year after year.
As for Intels use of non-ree software, I am sorry for them, and I hope
that someday they will be able to move to free software.
I am sorry for GCC being used on Windows operating systems.. by linking
GCC to Windows or by pointing out to people that it is okay to use GCC
on windows, we are destroying our freedom. This is like a Microsoft
endorsement.. endorsing the GNU philosophy right within Microsoft
software. This is truly destroying my freedom and it also ruined her
lipstick that she was wearing out to dinner too.
