Anthony DeRobertis wrote:
On Jan 19, 2004, at 08:59, Remi Vanicat wrote:
Anthony DeRobertis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
There is no harm per se, however, there is the good we did not do
(because we were no longer able).
we were never able to do it. Or we are able to do it (in case of a
GFDL like package for example).
I don't think I was clear enough. If it is ethical to share, then
currently, we are sharing our non-free archive with some people, and
that is an ethical act. If we maintain the status quo, then in the
future we will share non-free with more people. Since we're assuming
sharing is ethical, then that is a good.
If we drop non-free, we will no longer be able to perform that good.
I hope I answered this question in other thread, just to make it as
clear as possible. I agree with the fact that stopping to distribute
non-free will decrease the amount of good, which Debian can do. It was
wrong and stupid to claim opposite from my side. This fact doesn't
change the fact that by distributing non-free Debian act in the way
which lead to unethical situations. Dropping non-free itself will
decrease the amount of good, but it will decrease also the amount of
actions which lead to unethical situations.
The only solution I see, to get from the situation where the Debian is,
will be that Debian not just drops non-free, but will redirect efforts
and resources from distributing non-free to free packages support and
distribution.
In this way Debian will act at a very high ethical level all the time.
Because, if Debian reject the request to distribute non-free, he will
not just say: "We refuse to do it, because it can lead us and your to
non-ethical situations", but he can say "We refuse to do it, because we
are busy with working on free software replacement for what you are
asking for and on other free software. Packaging this can lead us and
your to non-ethical situations, but we have no free resources anyway."
Acting in the proposed way will not reduce the amount of good which can
be done by Debian, but will increase it. I see no other solution.
--
Best regards, Sergey Spiridonov
