* Jason Self <jself@gnu.org> [2022-03-23 22:40]:
The GNU FSDG doesn't seem to speak to SaaSS. It seems to me that it
should.
What's driving the question is that I learned of Parabola including a
program called ydcv. It's used for translations (Chinese <-> English)
through the Youdao online translate service [0].
This wouldn't stop people from using their web browsers to do this;
only that distros shouldn't include programs that a mere frontend or
helper for SaaSS to encourage or steer people toward such things.
[0] https://www.parabola.nu/packages/community/x86_64/ydcv/
Such proposal already exists:
[GNU-linux-libre] Proposal to revise FSDG to exclude SaaSS-only software
https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/gnu-linux-libre/2021-04/msg00015.html
As in regards of Telegram -- I cannot say it should be excluded like I
said about in April 2021, as for the reason that it is access to
general information such as channels and groups, it is not only a
personal messenger. I would say Telegram should be kept if it would
not require registration of personal information but it does.
There still exists a possibility that someone opens up new Telegram
server and adapts software for such, or that Telegram Desktop as free
software get adapted to be used on other networks such as on
XMPP. This is argument to keep it. I would not, but it is one such
argument.
If it would be solely personal messenger I still think it should not
be in the fully free system distributions.
How is SaaSS described in Free Software Philosophy?
Who Does That Server Really Serve? - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html
,----
| On the Internet, proprietary software isn't the only way to lose your
| computing freedom. Service as a Software Substitute, or SaaSS, is
| another way to give someone else power over your computing.
`----
I can't agree to the full description of what is SaaSS, for example,
can't agree to following:
,----
| Most servers are not SaaSS because the jobs they do are some sort of
| communication, rather than the user's own computing.
`----
Especially in the case of communication we have to be vary. It is not
correct to assume that communication is not user's own computing,
while it technically and practically, clearly is computing.
Translation service is described as being such case of SaaSS.
It is there for us to think about it.
I also see there is paid service and free service.
There is Emacs package for accessing Google Translation directly from
computer. When such package would ask for developer ID, that means
user may need to pass through Google proprietary Javascript to get
such ID -- and in that case I would clearly reject such software.
But if such software is helping user to translate text in Emacs
straight and without using browser, I find it rather equivalent to
browser and for that reason would rather allow it.
If however software such as translation is paid service and thus
requires some kind of registration, I would rather exclude it. If it
gives rather benefit to user not to use browser, or not to use
Javascript as compared to browser, then I would include it.
Jean
Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
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"Especially in the case of communication we have to be vary. It is not
correct to assume that communication is not user's own computing,
while it technically and practically, clearly is computing."