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On Thursday 28 September 2006 16:32, "Bob Young" <BYoung@××××××××××.com> |
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wrote about 'RE: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - |
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slaveryware)': |
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> > -----Original Message----- |
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> > From: news [mailto:news@×××××××××.org]On Behalf Of Duncan |
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> > "Bob Young" <BYoung@××××××××××.com> posted |
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> > FAEEIJPAOFEMBBLKPMJEOEGGHKAA.BYoung@××××××××××.com, excerpted below, |
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> > on |
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> > Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:16:29 -0700: |
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> That's not freedom, they are still completely dependent on the mechanic |
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> they take the car to. |
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No, they aren't. They can use another mechanic. Instead of having to |
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consult *one particular entity* they can consult *any entity of a |
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particular class*. They gain a choice, which means they have more |
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freedom. |
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|
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If you still aren't convinced ask yourself which is more free: being able |
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to stand on only *one particular* square meter of public property or being |
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able to stand on *any* square meter (and, of course, being able to change |
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your choice each time you choose to stand). |
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> I agree, and that is a perfectly valid argument (faster porting), as one |
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> of the merits of open source. However, it doesn't actually provide any |
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> greater *freedom* to most end users. |
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It most certainly does. No matter how many resources I give my local |
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programmer's co-op, they can't port Macromedia's Flash application to |
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64-linux the source [and an appropriate licence] from Macromedia. (They |
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might [subject to software patentes] be able to provide a replacement.) |
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|
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However, I can take any piece for free software and, without consultation |
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or aid from the copyright holders, have my local programmer's co-op port |
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it to a new architecture. There may be significant resource outlay, but |
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it is at least possible. |
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With non-free software, you are (at best) on the wrong end of a monopoly |
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position. |
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|
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-- |
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"If there's one thing we've established over the years, |
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it's that the vast majority of our users don't have the slightest |
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clue what's best for them in terms of package stability." |
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-- Gentoo Developer Ciaran McCreesh |
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