Re: Backing GNU to the hilt (was Re: [LUG] Waiting for keyboard input in a shell script)

[Ben Goodger <goodgerster@xxxxxxxxx>]

Neil, your mad loyalty to "freedom" is becoming annoying.

If I want to watch a Flash cartoon, or listen to (or at least convert from) MP3 audio, I should be allowed to do so. If I am stopped from doing so by people such as you who prevent the distribution of such software in Linux, 
that compromises my freedom. If I complained to the "developer" I'll either get told to ****&** off, or he'll ask me what else he should use, and I'll feel extremely stupid telling him to use dhtml/SVG.

> > X11 is ugly and doesn't follow the Mac HIG, and most people won't use it.
> >
>
> So? I don't care, it's free software and that is what matters, above all else.

This is insane fanaticism. Can you not see the logic in the fact that not all open-source software is great, and that not all non-free software is inferior? Would you have me use Windows 98 if it were free and Linux were proprietary?

As for your bit about us joining the FSF, waving the banner and destroying anyone who attacks GNU, there is a certain year in the 80s which that reminds me of. Also a certain nineteen-thirties political party.

Moderation, please. If open-source stuff is inferior to the proprietary equivalent, I would use the proprietary version. Because it is better. Sure, I'd love to improve Rhythmbox, or create a complete replacement for Flash, or modifiy GTK so that the text in its buttons aren't right next to the icons; but I haven't time. I haven't the experience. I haven't the motivation. I have GCSEs coming next year, and I have to get up at six o'clock daily in order to take my hour's train journey into Plymouth for school. So for me and all the rest of the people who simply cannot be bothered, we will just have to stick with what the other developers give us. Some free software will, for us, always remain rubbish, like X11 and Cocoa. And seriously, nobody gives a stuff if X11 is freer than Cocoa.

-- 
Ben Goodger

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