Obvously we all owe a lot to RMS, but this does not of course mean that we must agree with him. He is an idealist, and his solution to the problems raised by "non-free" software are in my view at one extreme of the spectrum. I respect his views though I do not entirely agree with them. His attitude should not come as a surprise to us. I am sure most people involved in Debian are aware of his views and of what must be done or not done to retain his approval. We cannot realistically expect to retain such approval when we choose to depart from his philosophy. I love the Debian approach, and am quite simply amazed at the quality of the distribution and the dedication of those involved. The decisions which have lead to RMS withholding his approval are in my view good ones, though once again I respect Richard's right to disagree, as should we all.
The tension between intellectual property rights and the public benefit of "free" information is building, and I don't know how it will ultimately be resolved, not only for Software but in many even more important areas. Look, for instance, at pharmaceuticals. New drugs are developed which are in many cases too expensive for those who would benefit most. Yet without the rewards conferred by patents, it is doubtful that many of these drugs would have been developed at all. Yet there is also the question of what advances are not being made because of the "locking-up" of information. The ideas of RMS are very important and worthwhile, even if only to provide an alternative. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]