On Sat, Jan 05, 2008 at 09:58:47PM +0530, Karthik Kumar wrote: | > On another hand we are not GNU/GPL and we don't mind our users installing | > non free software if it is what they want. The FAQ is where this needs to | > be documented for users to get their job done faster. | > | | If you don't mind users using non-free software, you shouldn't be | putting the 'Free. ' in 'Free. Functional. Secure.'; You shouldn't be | fighting those blob vendors and call them nasty names; Rather,
You really have no clue about what the portstree and the packages do in OpenBSD, do you ? OpenBSD is Free, Functional and Secure. This is not required from software you install from packages or via the ports tree. It's the OS that is free. Try to understand : all of OpenBSD is Free. Everything. Nothing in OpenBSD is not free (barring bugs, but I believe those have been eradicated by now). The kernel is free, binaries and manpages are free, the ports tree is free, software used to install packages (pkg_add) is free, free free free. You can get them at no extra charge (apart from you internet connection fee + storage cost etc.) so the OS is free as in "gratis" or "without charge". You can look at the source of the kernel, binaries, manpages, portstree, pkg_add and change them to your liking so the OS is free as in "freedom" : you have the freedom to use and change it as you like. OpenBSD got to be free because it fights blob vendors and calls them nasty names. This keeps the OS Free (no restricting your freedom) and Functional (it actually works on the hardware) and Secure (no blobs running on your CPU/in your kernel that may do whatever). And another cool part : OpenBSD does not restrict you (aka, gives you the freedom) in what software you wish to install and run on your system, be it free or non-free. That's another point for the 'free' part : freedom to install non-free software (if you chose to do so) (also, it's another point for the 'functional' part, but that goes without saying). You may consider running non-free software stupid / dumb / silly. Sure, fine. I would (in general) consider doing an 'sudo rm -rf /' stupid / dump / silly, but OpenBSD lets you do it. Nowhere is it written that the Free operating system OpenBSD wants its users to only run Free software. It is written, however, that OpenBSD *ITSELF* wants to be free. Free for all to use and re-use as they see fit. | probably document how to use such drivers and firmware 'faster'. Then | you shouldn't be making a claim that 'OpenBSD supports openness'. If | you can manipulate your reasons for making this ethical, you shouldn't | be calling others names. And you shouldn't bring back ethics' dead | body around your neck. No amount of word twisting is going to change the facts here. OpenBSD is FREE. Here's a challenge : Go to the cvs repository of OpenBSD (it's at http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/ if you want a web interface) and point out any one file that is not free. Keep in mind that what is stored in that repository is OpenBSD (other, non-free software that you can install on OpenBSD is *NOT* OpenBSD). Until you find such a file, please refrain from your silly remarks about OpenBSD being non-free or how ethics are involved : you obviously have no clue. | And the rest who do should avoid red herring arguments and accept what | they are doing. In other words, they should say: 'I am wrong. I will | fix the problem at my end. Your turn now.' I don't see anybody doing | it. Don't you see how you're not doing anything but complaining? It | doesn't make this any different. So, in closing : You are wrong, please fix the problem at your end, it's our turn now. Paul 'WEiRD' de Weerd -- >++++++++[<++++++++++>-]<+++++++.>+++[<------>-]<.>+++[<+ +++++++++++>-]<.>++[<------------>-]<+.--------------.[-] http://www.weirdnet.nl/
