On Fri, 2013-08-16 at 19:10 -0400, Richard Stallman wrote: > [ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider > [ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies, > [ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. > > To Richard: I would like a clarification in this respect. If I use a > non-free web service (for instance, a web service for which the source > code to install it and run it locally is not available), > > I think it is a mistake to use the term "non-free web service" with > that definition, because that question is not what makes a web > service ethical or unethical. > > If the server does a job you could do in your own computer, even in > principle, then it's SaaSS and it's bad. Otherwise, the issues > that make the service ethical or unethical are other issues. > > is it really different from linking to a proprietary library > from my GPL program? > > Using a service run by someone else is like asking him to do a job for > you. If he uses nonfree software to do the job, that's his mistake > and his loss. We are sorry for him, but we don't need to boycott him > because of that. > > Thus, for instance, we don't need to refuse to take the subway because > the subway system has computers with Windows, or refuse to make a > phone call because the phone exchange uses runs proprietary software, > or refuse to make a connection across the Internet because it might > pass through some routers that run nonfree software, or refuse to > order t-shirts because the shirt company might use Windows to make > shirts. In these cases, we're not using that software -- the > companies are using it. If it's proprietary, the companies are the > ones whose freedom is taken away. > > When you use someone else's service, you never have control over any > software he uses to do your job. If it's free software, he has > control. If it's proprietary, he doesn't have control (which is an > injustice towards him). But either way, you don't have control over it. > That's the nature of a service -- but is it bad? > > In some cases, it is bad. There are certain jobs that you shouldn't > entrust to someone else's service, because you should have control > over them. Namely, these are the jobs you could do in your own > computer. Using a service for those jobs is SaaSS. > > If a given service is equivalent to calling a library in your > computer, then it is SaaSS, so it is bad. Even if the server runs > only released free software, SaaSS is still bad. In order to have > control of this computing, you need to do it by calling a free library > in your computer. That's the way it should be done. > > But I don't think that applies to most of what GitHub or Savannah does. > Those are communication activities. You couldn't do them by calling > a library in your own computer. So it is ok to use services for that > (but pay attention to the privacy issues). However, it would be nice > if we could do it in a peer-to-peer fashion. > Hi,
I'm a newer GNOME foundation list member, and I'm usually pretty quiet here, but I read all the mail, and I wanted to chime in with some thoughts if that's okay... I've really enjoyed reading this GitHub thread. In these threads, I sometimes see people who are overly harsh or mean to Dr. Stallman, probably because he takes a more strict approach to things Free Software. To those people, I would ask them to please lighten up, and here's why: In this example, I think Dr. Stallman has been very reasonable about the issue, and has taken a lot of effort to write down and explain things clearly. Whether you agree with him or not, you have to have a great amount of respect for someone who thinks about the issue thoroughly and works hard to convey his thoughts well. I don't have a Yeelong laptop, but I like understanding and learning about the issues, and I think it's important for the world. Hopefully Free Software remains one of GNOME's highest priorities. > In these cases, we're not using that software -- the > companies are using it. If it's proprietary, the companies are the > ones whose freedom is taken away. I found it interesting to think about it this way! We always think about companies versus individuals, but I think most companies need to be reminded that their Freedom matters too! Thanks for reminding me. Anyways, less talking, more hacking! Cheers, James
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