On 3/20/2026 2:47 AM, Max Chernoff via ntg-context wrote:
Sure, and this policy does not restrict you from loading non-free
images, packages, or fonts in any way. Things that _do_ restrict your
freedom are the LaTeX parts of luaotfload using only local variables,
the disabling of the "debug" module in LuaTeX, \overloadmode=255,
luatexbase disabling the raw callback registration system, etc., since
these actually prevent you from modifying certain behaviours. But
removing files just removes files, and there's nothing stopping you from
adding back in the files yourself.
hm, local variables, shadowed primitives, etc ... here the freedom is
that one can just program stuff oneself; one can define freedom in a way
that it should permit everything but that then also involve using
whatever one finds on one's path; start with a clean engine and no
format and one can modify anything
- local variables: of course, otherwise one clashes, it's why we have
interfaces; we actually expose more than we want / like already (i can't
speak for luaotfload as i have little clue what it adds to the context
font loader)
- disabling debug (and execute and ..) is tex policy (comparable with
fonts) ... to some extend it is a protection against abuse
- overloadmode is preventing users messing with internals etc (and
easier and more controllable than shadowing); i with more users would
enable the warning mode
- disabling some callbacks is again protecting users; there's plenty
left to mess around and waste the system
- it would be nice if we could also disable the luatex / context /
manuals / etc bashing one can find on the web -)
As context is all done in free-time which presumingly comes for free
there is only so much we can do about all this. So I'm not worried by
these limitations.
It's kind of funny, this kind of 'idealistic software communism' esp
when it comes from countries that lack the basic social infrastructure
(demands and implementation of free food, free housing, free healthcare,
free ... never seems to overlap with those of free software).
It's anyway why regular (small scale) users drive context development,
not big tex, so in the end all comes down to commmunication,
Hans
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
tel: 038 477 53 69 | www.pragma-ade.nl | www.pragma-pod.nl
-----------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________________________________________________________________
If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the
Wiki!
maillist : [email protected] /
https://mailman.ntg.nl/mailman3/lists/ntg-context.ntg.nl
webpage : https://www.pragma-ade.nl / https://context.aanhet.net (mirror)
archive : https://github.com/contextgarden/context
wiki : https://wiki.contextgarden.net
___________________________________________________________________________________
