Re: GNOME now

[Richard Stallman <rms gnu org>]

    >        Tools that use non-free technologies like Skype or
    >      Vonage are not just popular, but a requirement for many people who pay
    >      for such services.  How many average people would purchase a device
    >      that did not support such tools?
    >
    > Is this a real issue?  On a free operating system, developers can
    > implement whatever they wish.  And users can install it if they wish.

    Most commercial products that work with video require non-free codecs.
    While users may do what they wish, installing free software that
    implements non-free codecs may be considered a crime in some places.

This seems to be a disconnect of subject.  Before, you were talking
about support for Skype.  The only company that might plausibly
implement a program for Skype on GNU/Linux is Skype.

So my response is about that.  If Skype wants to implement its
snooping-enabled nofree software on GNU/Linux, it can do so, and users
can install it if they wish.

Like any nonfree software, this would be unethical, but I see no reason
why it would be a crime.

My point is that we must not do _anything_ that could be construed as
recommending that nonfree software, and that includes "integrating"
it.  Our duty, rather than integrating nonfree software, is to
differentiate it -- not do anything that would grant it ethical
legitimacy.

The same applies to DRM software, which I supposed would be
implemented by the same companies that use the DRM, if at all.  This
too would be proprietary software, and malicious too, so we must not
do anything that would grant it ethical legitimacy.

Of course, writing free software to break DRM is a good thing to do.
Since some states which treat their citizens as enemies persecute
such software, GNOME would not be directly involved with it.

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org  www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
  Use Ekiga or an ordinary phone call