Hi all,

golinux@??? writes:

> On 2018-06-24 11:43, Edward Bartolo wrote:
>> Subject: Completely Free Devuan.
>> Note: I am continuing with this thread as 'complete freedom' has been
>> metioned by Jaromil and that it has been suggested by RMS.
>>
>> This, unfortunately will place Devuan among those Linux distributions
>> that support the LEAST number of hardware. The problem here, is many
>> people, have almost no-choice where hardware is involved. Either one
>> pays through one's nose to get Linux certified hardware or one just
>> buys what is available benefitting from much more competitive prices.
>> I am one of the latter category: I do not want to spend more to get
>> less. The second hard-reality is hardware manufacturers do not always
>> want to support Linux (to put it mildly).
>>
>> This short reply is to exhort the Devuan administration to accept
>> reality, instead of day-dreaming of ideals that cannot be reached, as
>> reaching them, depends on other people who have other priorities.
>
> I don't know how you missed that a Libre Devuan would be an OPTION for
> those who want it not the DEFAULT. Devuan is about CHOICE.

Personally, I'd love for it to be the default. Using contrib/non-free
should be opt-in, IMNSHO, but, of course, you are free to disagree.

I see an "in-your-face" choice to opt-in as an opportunity to educate.

Hey! Your hardware seems to require bits of software that its vendor
thought were better kept under their total and full control. We can
install these non-free bits for you, but please be aware that we have
no real clue what it does and if things break, well, you get to keep
the pieces. Direct your discontent to the vendor of your hardware.
When you do, tell them to make their software Free Software.

# Well, something like that. I assume you get my drift.

There were some posts on DNG recently about people not knowing or not
aware of whether their hardware was 64-bit capable. There was a good
suggestion to have the installer tell them.

The *need* for contrib/non-free can be treated the same and I seem to
remember a suggestion to disable it in /etc/apt/sources.list if not used
during the installation. Very much +1, or rather, +10 or so.

@KatolaZ: I know patches are welcome.  Sorry to disappoint but I won't
          providing any anytime soon :-(

I think most of RMS' objection to non-free is that it is enabled by
default and featured rather, eh, "prominently". Relegating it to the
"darker, dusty corners" of Devuan would be a significant step in the
right direction, if you ask me.

# No-one asked but there you go anyway :-)

So, make the installer target Libre as much as possible and raise
people's awareness whenever it looks like they need non-free bits
before they get a chance to enable it for just those bits that were
deemed necessary at that particular stage in the installer.

# I'm aware of the "Didn't Read; Clicked OK" syndrome :-(((

Hope this helps,
--
Olaf Meeuwissen, LPIC-2            FSF Associate Member since 2004-01-27
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