Re: Fwd: reiser4 non-free?

[mjt@nysv.org]

On Mon, May 03, 2004 at 10:11:29AM -0700, Hans Reiser wrote:

>>Credits unread are credits unknown.
>The problem is not the end user, the problem is that distros do it 
>without the end user ever knowing that there was something to turn off.

Mayhaps. But it's never that easy.

Debian could quite easily have a preinstall screen with all the credits,
but that would have to replace the mandatory showing of the credits.
That's, as far as I'd guess, not an option, because the credits would be
removed.

The credits could also go to /dev/null with a preinstall screen, but that
would not fix the non-free issue.

Also, if every software showed their credits, there would easily be a ton
of them. But many modules do show some credits when inserted.

I don't know, I don't have an answer to this.

Except that I think it's absurd that someone would knowingly and willingly
even want to suppress credits if they're put there. Especially in a case
where the developer has tried to minimize them.

That's still not an answer, though.

>There is nothing offensive about them.  We reduced them to a random 
>credit, rather than an exhaustive credit like they were.  Now users 
>might actually take the time to read them.;-)

Problem is, might be as in my case, that I don't remember them...
But when information is spewed on my screen, I tend to read it, but how
much is a credit unremembered worth?

Why is it so difficult to try to argue both sides, because both sides have
good points?

What if Debian just accepted that a clause forbidding removal of credits
set by the copyright holder is not limiting freedom?

I mean, it's not THAT major an issue. If people think the credits suck,
they'll stick them up their /dev/null. So it's in the best interest of the
developer to make sure they don't annoy anyone. And people should have the
right to be credited fairly for their work if they want to.

-- 
mjt
PERKELE!