Re: MAME emulator is giving incentive to use non-free software

[Jean Louis <guix@rcdrun.com>]

Hello,

- when a package definition includes "Homepage to: http://mamedev.org/"
  then GuixSD is endorsing and referencing non-free software for which
  MAME was made, while you maybe refer to software package alone.

- if developers include MAME, WINE and other emulators that are
  basically foundation to run non-free software, they will be definitely
  dividing people, just as non-free software is dividing people.

Let us see example of "dividing people":

https://trisquel.info/en/forum/can-i-get-games-wine-working-trisquel

A user have seen there is Wine in Trisquel, and of course, asks for
support. The answer is: "We won't assist you in running proprietary
software of any kind on this forum, it would violate our Community
Guidelines." -- which is clearly dividing people. It is rejecting the
user.

People get involved into discussion of running or not running non-free
software:
https://trisquel.info/en/forum/some-wonderings-wine-and-playonlinux

The guy has used Wine to write documentation, but he could as well then
use it without inclusion in the distribution:
https://trisquel.info/en/forum/wine-even-useful-anything-other-proprietary-software

There is whole list of supposedly "free software" that runs on Wine:
https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?bIsQueue=false&bIsRejected=false&sClass=application&sTitle=Browse+Applications&sReturnTo=&iId=0&iItemsPerPage=25&iPage=1&iappVersion-licenseOp0=5&sappVersion-licenseData0=Open+Source&sOrderBy=appName&bAscending=true&iItemsPerPage=200

However such list is deceptive. If user follows the development of Wine,
user is going to see or browse package definitions, will see the Wine
website and then numerous numerous pointers to non-free software:
https://appdb.winehq.org/index.php (let me know if you fail to see the
thumbnails of non-free games in the Platinum list or any of the
thumbnails in the Gold list or Silver list).

It is free software package that is made to support non-free
packages. It should not be included in free software distributions,
because free software distributions shall not point, reference and
otherwise distribute software that helps the majority of users to run
non-free software.

Inclusion of homepage of Wine in the package definition is endorsing
platforms (Wine) to run non-free software. Who wish to run it, is
free. Software is free, right? But why would that need to be included in
any free software distribution?!

The reason is:

- it is going to definitely reject people, and cause community support
  problems. Look into the future. There will be 100, 500, 5000 and
  50,000 users in the future, maybe 100,000 and later million users.

- when thinking of future, users will come who have downloaded MAME,
  they will discuss on forums, in mailing lists, in bug reports,
  something like: "How can I run this ROM?" or "How can I ran World of
  Warcraft?" -- and what are you going to tell people then? Please, go
  elsewhere, because we don't run free software and don't give support
  for free software. That is dividing people. Obviously Wine/Mame and
  any other emulator is problematic for future of the communities.

I cannot understand the rationalization and justifications based on the
single fact how WINE/MAME or other similar emulators are free software
by themselves, and that is the only reason to include them, but let us
avoid all the reality about that, that those platforms are being
developed for the major purpose of running non-free software. It does
not play alone. It is hypocrisy.

Jean Louis