--- On Fri, 5/22/09, Rahul Sundaram <sundaram(a)fedoraproject.org> wrote:
From: Rahul Sundaram <sundaram(a)fedoraproject.org>
Subject: Re: Flash instructions updated
To: "For testers of Fedora Core development releases"
<fedora-test-list(a)redhat.com>
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009, 1:47 PM
On 05/23/2009 02:04 AM, David wrote:
>
> This is all baloney. Use the tool that will do what
you need to do. A
> computer is a machine, a toll. Not an altar. Bread on
^
r
missing `r` here?
the table beats
> hungry every time. IMO.
I might personally choose to stay hungry on occasions if it
means it
brings food to a person who is more hungry. You have a
personal stand
point of using whatever tool that fits your needs and value
not staying
hungry.
Fedora values are a bit different
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Foundations
It is ok to use a distribution that doesn't match your
values perfectly
but it important to recognize that there is such a
difference. This
doesn't mean that everyone who uses Flash is a traitor but
again, this
discussion is about a compromise. Fedora's compromise in
the case of
Flash is to describe how to install Flash but also warn
users that they
are installing proprietary software.
People who value the virtues of Free software over the
utilitarian
benefits would choose to use swfdec or gnash and file bug
reports when
things don't work. Others would ignore the warning and
install the
proprietary software and deal with somehow when they face
bugs. Again,
it is a compromise. I doubt you are going to convince
everybody who
values free and open source software to abandon their
beliefs in favor
of your thinking. It is better to understand that there is
a difference
in values and respect that.
Rahul
--
Yes, sometimes we need proprietary software when the free software just does not cut it or
does not meet our needs. Fedora values FREEDOM and we have that FREEDOM to get the stuff
from Adobe/Nvidia/....
sed -i 's| free_stuff_that_does_not_work | put_propietary_stuff_that_works |g'
People do not have to abandon their right to a FREE system. But the users have to make
that decision themselves not critize them for having to install the proprietary stuff.
The users know that a big WARNING you are on your own. We cannot help you. You chose to
install the other_stuff then you can't complain to Fedora for doing that. That is
OK.
BTW,
all that stuff that fedora is Free, is only partially right. Remember the arguments
"that old GNU argument", is a ghost of the past. There are some parts that are
also propietary, how come no one says anything about that? Yes they might be just
bits/bytes, but it is not totally 100% free according to FSF :(
My $0.02
Regards,
Antonio