[BadVista Advocate] Ubuntu?

[Don Hensley]

Hi  Bernat, welcome to the list.

A fine technical point is brought up here.

The key is actually in distribution, not in the binary blobs, per se.

That is speaking to the GPL issue about distribution. If you can not provide 
the source, and allow the source to be modified (and if GPLv3, as of the 
current draft) you must also be able to run your modified code on the 
hardware it was designed for - i.e., the TiVo problem.

So when a Distro, like Ubuntu or Mandriva, etc. includes binary blobs that do 
not have source available for them, then that is no longer a totally Free as 
in Free Software, Distro.

However, it is correct that I could load any number of binary blobs in any 
Distro... and so long as it simply sits on my computer, and I use it for my 
own use, then OK, in so far as the GPL is concerned. The GPL is ONLY 
concerned with distribution, not what end users do.

Now the philosophy of the GNU Project is a bit different in that one can try 
to live totally free from binary blobs if one wants. The goal of Free 
Software is to never need binary blobs that you can not obtain the source to 
and modify and run you modified version, if you so choose.

A fine distinction, but an important one.

This is just a casual explanation, not intended to be inclusive,  or even 
highly accurate --it's just conversation. For real accurate info please check 
out the links at: http://www.fsf.org

Don. 
 **************************
 On Sunday 29 April 2007 12:29 pm, Tibacions Encepatils wrote:
Hi all,

My name's Bernat and I'm new to this list.

I've just read today's posts and I found a comment about Ubuntu which I
don't completely understand, I'll quote it: «(...) as an Ubuntu user (which
is hardly an example of freedom, so let us say gNewSense user) (...)».

What's the matter with Ubuntu, why do some people consider it as a non-free
O/S? As far as I know, the system comes exclusively with free software. Was
I mistaken, could somebody correct me?

Thanks!

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