Re: GNOME now

[Emily Gonyer <emilyyrose gmail com>]

I agree completely. However, that doesn't mean we should make it
 purposefully *hard* to get those things. Should we warn people?
 Absolutely. They should know what they are doing and be informed. But
 that doesn't mean we need to make it hard, and certainly not on
 purpose.

On Sat, Nov 17, 2012 at 8:53 PM, Richard Stallman <rms gnu org> wrote:
>     >        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
>
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