Re: [directory-discuss] 'Bait and surrender'

[John Sullivan]

Hi Svetlana,

Svetlana Tkachenko <address@hidden> writes:

> I appreciate this question being brought up. While I see how certain
> labels are subjective as RMS pointed out, the FSF directory is linked to
> from free distributions; _for our free distributions to continue to
> qualify as free, the FSF directory should not have any gateways to
> proprietary at all_ in any form whatsoever.
>
>
> Would recommend to mirror any software which is gateway to proprietary,
> and make modifications necessary to remove the gateway link.

The free distro standards are different from the Directory standards,
because they are aimed at a different goal.

While free distros do link to some resources on the Directory, and we
should be especially careful about what goes into those areas of the
Directory, the Directory as a whole serves as a gateway to get started
with free software, as well as a path to get more involved in it.

This is why, for example, it allows entries for programs that also run
on proprietary OSes, and allows people to search for those. We want to
enable people to get started with programs they'll also be able to use
once they switch to a free distro, while they are still for the time
being using a proprietary OS.

-john

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John Sullivan | Executive Director, Free Software Foundation
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