Ben Finney <ben+deb...@benfinney.id.au> writes: > Brian May <br...@microcomaustralia.com.au> writes: > >> On 9 October 2014 09:03, Ben Finney <ben+deb...@benfinney.id.au> wrote: >> >> > On that point: It is in poor taste to declare up front that you have >> > no intention of helping the free software community (which is what >> > it means to release proprietary software), and then in the same >> > message ask that same community for help in doing this. >> > >> >> It is possible to release the source to your packaging as open source >> with instructions on how to download the proprietary code and create >> the Debian packages. > > Assisting someone to install proprietary software is not helping the > *free software* community. > > It may be helping some other community, but not the community of users > making an expressly free operating system. This person was specifically > asking the community of a free software operating system for help in > distributing non-free software. That's what I'm pointing out is in poor > taste.
Given that Debian Developers as a body have agreed to abide by the Social Contract[1], clause 5 of which includes: Thus, although non-free works are not a part of Debian, we support their use and provide infrastructure for non-free packages (such as our bug tracking system and mailing lists). it's pretty childish to harangue people for asking how best to use the infrastructure we provide for exactly this purpose. Of course, you're not the first to think that there's something wrong with clause 5. We've had two GRs attempting to change that. The second of which[2] achieved the opposite by attracting a large majority in favour of the reaffirmation of clause 5. It seems very impolite to use this as an excuse to attack newcomers. You don't have to stay here if that makes you unhappy, but if you do stay I suggest that you stop whining about it. Cheers, Phil. [1] https://www.debian.org/social_contract [2] https://www.debian.org/vote/2004/vote_002 -- |)| Philip Hands [+44 (0)20 8530 9560] HANDS.COM Ltd. |-| http://www.hands.com/ http://ftp.uk.debian.org/ |(| Hugo-Klemm-Strasse 34, 21075 Hamburg, GERMANY
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