Re: [GNU-linux-libre] review of uruk

[Alexandre Oliva]

Hello, Ali,

On Mar 24, 2023, alimiracle <alimiracle@riseup.net> wrote:

> These requirements were developed in order not to use repositories
> from non-free distributions

I don't speak for the FSF and I don't know exactly what motivated the
inclusion of this requirement in the FSDG, but I can think of reasons
that go beyond what you suggest above:

- free distros need to take responsibility for what they recommend and
offer to users, outsourcing that responsibility to third parties, even
ones committed to observing the same rules, is a potential pitfall when
an upstream distribution changes its own alignment.  A free distro must
be able to fix freedom problems itself, without depending on a third
party to do so.

- if an upstream distribution changes its alignment, the downstream
distro may find itself needing to urgently find hosting for a sizable
repository.  that creates a potential conflict of priorities.  it pays
to work on that ahead of time.

- self hosting one's own computing and data sets a good example for the
community at large.  the growing disregard for this aspect of computing
autonomy in parts of the larger free software communities is a serious
problem that drives a lot of people into behaviors that promote
dependency rather than freedom.

There is likely a lot more, but these are ones that come to mind
immediately.

-- 
Alexandre Oliva, happy hacker                https://FSFLA.org/blogs/lxo/
   Free Software Activist                       GNU Toolchain Engineer
Disinformation flourishes because many people care deeply about injustice
but very few check the facts.  Ask me about <https://stallmansupport.org>