Re: Gentoo GNU/Linux and non-free packages

[Marek Aaron Sapota <maarons@gnu.org>]

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On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 10:30:15AM +0100, Tassilo Horn wrote:
> Marek Aaron Sapota <maarons@gnu.org> writes:
>
> Hi Marek,
>
> > It is possible to use only Free Software with Gentoo but it isn't
> > that
> > easy:
> > - packages have non-free dependences, sometimes programs compile
> > fine
> >   without them, but they are pulled in anyway
>
> What do you mean with "pulled in".  I tried to install a package that
> has a non-free dependency, and portage 2.2 told me it cannot install
> it,
> because this dependency is masked by my license restriction.

I mean that I can not install a package only because it has a non-free
dependency even if it works fine without it - for example X.Org and Wine
pull in non-free fonts. Inconvenience that makes your system less
powerful if you want to only use Free Software.

>
> > - some free "alternatives" are only in additional repositories
>
> Usually, this occurs if a package simply doesn't work for most users,
> or
> no maintainer has been found yet.

Icedtea is in an overlay even if it works perfectly.

>
> > - predefined license groups (for example FSF approved) are not
> >   complete
>
> Indeed, currently GPL-1 and LGPL-2 are missing.  But that will surely
> be
> fixed as soon as the overall mechanics are stable.
>
> > - some packages have wrong licenses (usually license is named after
> > the
>
> This applies to many modular X11 packages, but work is in progress to
> fix that.  And of course, this will never make a non-free package
> installable if you've set your ACCEPT_LICENSE to match only free
> licenses.  It will prevent installing those programs although they
> might
> be free.  The other way round would be a showstopper, but this way
> it's
> only a little inconvenience.

Indeed - it makes it inconvenient to use only Free Software with Gentoo.

To be a Free Distribution Gentoo would have to show commitment to Free
Software and they clearly don't. They treat the system as complete
including non-free software and that is why using it without non-free
components is inconvenient. Before the system works equally good without
non-free packages I don't see any option of Gentoo being listed. This is
a difference of "user can be free" and "distribution cares that users
are free".

Happy hacking
Marek Aaron Sapota

PS. To clear up I use Gentoo and I use ACCEPT_LICENSE almost since it
got implemented.


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