Re: Knoppix is not entirely free software

[Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:

> We sometimes design free software so it can work with widely-used
> non-free software packages such as Netscape, Windows and MacOS.  Being
> able to work with them is not the same as recommending them.  The
> mention of Netscape, Windows and MacOs in Emacs doesn't serve to
> spread the word of their existence very much, because users mostly
> already know of those packages.
> 
> Eli wrote:
> 
>     The fact that Netscape is mentioned in browse-url.el doesn't mean
>     Emacs recommends it, just that it uses it when it's the only tool to
>     do a certain job.
> 
> In the GNU Project, we won't recommend a non-free program even if it is
> the only way to do a job.  We say, "There is nothing we can recommend."

So perhaps we were premature in removing support for glimpse in MH-E
then.  It was only one of many supported indexers.

Anyway, I better understand the guidelines for the next time it comes
up.

Peter