On Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 12:16 AM, Sandip Bhattacharya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > +++ Sudhanwa Jogalekar [21/06/08 15:43 +0530]: >> >>Ubuntu also has some proprietory components but nobody says it is >>NON-FOSS and is promoted and accepted very well everywhere. > > Perhaps you did not completely understand what Raj said in the previous > mail - all the Linux distros mentioned (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.) out of the > box are perfectly FOSS compliant. Any addition of proprietery drivers > (often mentioned while spreading FUD about these distros, like the one > a few mails > back) is *always* done after the OS is up and running. The > proprietary > drivers are never necessary for the basic functioning of the OS. nvidia > works with vesa, mp3 doesn't work as they should not, mplayer is not > installed as it should not be, proprietery codecs are not installed as > they should not be. Each of > these are only installed once the user > deliberately asks for them to be > installed after the OS is installed, and with full knowledge about the > compromise they would be doing in the process.
[refer to just posted previous mail regarding this and please tell me if information quoted there is wrong about the linux kernel] > > > All this said, I would admit that Opensolaris is on its way to be a > FOSS distro. The community is working hard, they are also perhaps > pushing Sun to move faster. At the end having another FOSS alternative > is always a good thing. I agree. OpenSolaris, though being open source, is not FOSS, my point is just that why shud it not be discussed on this list if other non-FOSS distro's or other non-FOSS languages and much else is already discussed. > Free software definition has always been zealously defined and defended. > Regardless of people either misunderstanding it or trying to dilute its > definition intentionally, it is important to be alert and making sure > there is no compromise. FSF has a very good reason to demand complete 100% openness, it is their ideal and their purpose, and I respect it's purpose, but as I see this, here it is just being used as a means to lay off opensolaris discussions on this list, whence other non-FOSS software are being discussed. > > <speaking-for-myself> > The Opensolaris community in India should not feel negative about the > FOSS communities like ILUGD if their ultimate aim is the same as ours. > They actually have our support in their endeavours. Don't get too upset > about these discussions. We only ask that please be clear about the > ultimate aim - Free software for every man/woman (Free not as in beer). > People are naturally proud about their work, and they should be, but > don't have any illusions about where you stand, and I mean to say this > in a good way. I am not at all upset about opensolaris not being FOSS. It is opensource, not FOSS is what I will continue to claim now, but all I am upset about is the discouragement from it being discussed on this list.. whence [repeating above line]. That's my only point right now, nothing against any linux distro, nor against the purpose of FSF or FOSS. _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org/
