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Re: [LUG] getgnulinux.org

 

On 26/03/07, Matt Lee <mattl@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> james kilty wrote:
> > On Sun, 2007-03-25 at 13:22 +0100, Matt Lee wrote:
> >
> >> There are several good reasons to not promote Ubuntu to anyone.
> >
> > Please will you summarise them.
>
> Sure.
>
> Ubuntu:-
>
> * Promotes proprietary software
> * Distributes proprietary software
> * Is planning to ship with binary drivers turned on by default
> * Is joining forcing with Linspire to make proprietary codecs
> available

I removed the false accusation (hearsay, m'lud), and see all the above
as just fine.

Ubuntu has promoted free software a great deal, it's hardly promoting
proprietary software by distributing or making it easy to install.

> I also now expect all the Ubuntu-fanbois to leap on me and say
> 'OMFG[1], there's nothing wrong with Flash' - I ask this, when
> did convenience become such an obsession? More people should
> stand up for their freedoms and refuse to accept proprietary
> software on their computers at all. This is the only way we can
> show the hardware manufacturers that freedom is important. To
> merely accept their proprietary drivers now and hope they later
> decide to produce free drivers when there's no obvious need for
> them in ridiculous.

Wrong.

I don't use ubuntu (it smelt like middleclass hippies with it's bongo
drums and 'ethnic' branding).

Flash does a job well, it's ubiquitous, and people use it for very
useful things - not including it makes it harder for new users to make
the transition, and it makes it harder for me (who isn't a newbie) to
get on with stuff.

You're also wrong about taking a stand on binary drivers - the
solutions are 1) do the work for them or 2) get enough people that it
hit's the wallet. Follow the money.

A.

-- 
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