fsmithred via Dng said on Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:57:38 -0400

>On 4/14/21 9:50 AM, Hendrik Boom wrote:
>> On Wed, Apr 14, 2021 at 09:02:54AM -0400, Steve Litt wrote:
>>> tito via Dng said on Tue, 13 Apr 2021 22:03:02 +0200
>>>
>>>

>>>> 2) should non-free and contrib repos be added to sources.list
>>>>    or should that be left to the user  

>>>
>>> I'm not sure whether my answer is responsive to your question or
>>> not, but here goes...
>>>
>>> I believe enough non-free and contrib stuff should be available at
>>> install time (or boot time on a live CD/flash) that the user doesn't
>>> need to put in additional media to get boot, network, video and
>>> sound working. And I believe any non-free and contrib stuff should,
>>> by default, be installed at install time, but before installation
>>> the user should be given the option of opting out of this
>>> non-free/contrib stuff, so if he/she only uses free software,
>>> he/she can maintain that principle in the installation.
>>>
>>> Stating it the inverse way, I HATE these installs that bomb because
>>> there's no FSF-satisfying drivers, firmware or software to handle
>>> my new laptop's weird hardware. And those distros that do that,
>>> their mailing lists always say "well just put in a thumb drive with
>>> the drivers/firmware!" How the KFDWOJMFOW do I know which drivers
>>> and firmware? I think free software purist snobs drive more people
>>> back to Windows than cleanse people of their non-free ways.
>>
>> Yes, the nonfree software which is necessary to getting hardware to
>> work should be installed unless the user explicitly says not to do
>> it. He may be committed to freedom, but may have been bamboozled by
>> the hardware vendor or has been given a free (but not libre) piece
>> of hardware by a doting aunt for his birthday.
>>
>> That said, he should have to opt in to receiving other nonfree
>> software. That should be a separate choice. He may well want to be
>> as independent of nonfree software as practical.
>>
>> And let me remind you, there is precious little completely libre
>> computer hardware around. Until there is, even the most extreme
>> libre/freedom advocate will have nonfree stuff somewhere in the
>> stack.
>>
>> Yes, I'm hoping for the longterm success of the libre-soc project.
>>
>> -- hendrik
>> _______________________________________________
>
>It's currently opt-out. You must select Expert install to avoid
>non-free and to choose your sources. Something about how the installer
>works makes it easier to do it this way rather than the reverse. And
>it's also easier for the non-experts to get their hardware working
>this way.
>
>fsmithred

I strongly urge that it be kept that way. Folks forced into Free
Software Purity often quit in disgust. If the FOSS world is lucky, they
go to Ubuntu or Mint, or if unlucky, maybe all the way back to Windows.
And then they badmouth Linux because it "wouldn't work on their
computer."

SteveT

Steve Litt
Spring 2021 featured book: Troubleshooting Techniques of the Successful
Technologist http://www.troubleshooters.com/techniques