Re: Fwd: Re: ns-do-applescript

[Jon Snader <jcs@irreal.org>]

Po Lu <luangruo@yahoo.com> writes:

> That rule is specified in the information for maintainers of GNU
> software, in the node "Platforms":
>
>   The most important platforms for a GNU package to support are 
>   GNU and
>   GNU/Linux. Developing the GNU operating system is the whole 
>   point of
>   the GNU Project; a GNU package exists to make the whole GNU 
>   system
>   more powerful. So please keep that goal in mind and let it 
>   shape your
>   work. For instance, every new feature you add should work on 
>   GNU, and
>   GNU/Linux if possible too. If a new feature only runs on GNU 
>   and
>   GNU/Linux, it could still be acceptable. However, a feature 
>   that runs
>   only on other systems and not on GNU or GNU/Linux makes no 
>   sense in a
>   GNU package.
>
> Anyway, the removal of ns-do-applescript will probably proceed, 
> once I
> figure out how to replace the code that uses it in-tree (mostly 
> for
> desktop notifications, which are also available on free systems, 
> and
> retrieving contacts data.)
>
...

> The GNU project was created with the goal of eliminating 
> non-free
> operating systems.  It was once acceptable for Emacs to only run 
> on
> proprietary operating systems while no alternatives existed, but 
> not
> anymore.
>
> For a long time, Apple also claimed the power to stop people 
> from
> writing programs that looked and worked even vaguely like a 
> Macintosh.
> During that period, the GNU project had a policy against 
> supporting any
> software on the Macintosh.
>
> They have stopped that practice now, but I doubt many people 
> have
> forgiven them.
>
...

> This list isn't a place to discuss that policy, which has been 
> in place
> for a long time (nor was it ever subject to approval from a
> "community".)  Features only present on macOS are discovered and 
> deleted
> from Emacs on a regular basis.  Recent examples are support for 
> color
> Emoji and tabbed windows.

This discussion has reached the stage where we have to agree to 
disagree. That disagreement notwithstanding, I restate my thanks 
to you for the good work you do for the Emacs community.