Re: Suggestion: remove s/sco[45].h etc.

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

storm@cua.dk (Kim F. Storm) writes:

> Considering recent events, I don't see any point in actively
> supporting any of the SCO "owned" systems.
> 
> I suggest that we remove the corresponding support files, that is
> s/sco4.h and s/sco5.h, as well as other s/*.h files for other sysV /
> usg derivates created or owned by SCO.
> 
> WDYT?

It is one thing to actively support a system.  It is another to
actively sabotage any effort of people depending on that kind of
system to use free software.

It is my recommendation to free software maintainers not to spend any
effort of their own on supporting proprietary systems such as SCO
Unix variants.

But if people go to all the effort of providing all the work for
supporting a platform, I don't see the point in denying them access to
free software just because they are using (and perhaps compelledly so)
some unrelated proprietary software.

Please note also that Microsoft Windows is supported as an operating
platform for Emacs, and Microsoft certainly has been spreading as much
false information about free software as the current SCO-initiated
misinformation campaign is.

The way to spread freedom is not by denying it to people having to
live under restraints already.

Emacs use is contagious, anyway:  Emacs users on proprietary systems
basically fall into the two categories

a) works with free software whenever he can, is forced to work on
proprietary platforms at some time.
b) is getting infected with Emacs, will eventually migrate to a
platform where Emacs runs best, namely some GNU system.

People of category a) are often inspiring people to try out b).

So in short: I don't think it reasonable to block one of the
most compelling migration paths to free systems, for the sake of some
petty revenge thinking.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum