Re: proposal to remove linux-Libre from Guix

[Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>]

Quiliro Ordonez <quiliro@riseup.net> writes:

> Even though linux-Libre is a great kernel because it provides good
> technical value as well as freedom value, our advocacy for freedom is
> greatly hindered when people call our project a Linux distribution
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guix_System_Distribution
> Our advocacy for freedom is confused with the advocacy Linux for more
> technology and tangentially advocating slavery without remorse.
>
> I propose to eliminate linux-Libre from the repos and add kFreeBSD. A
> new repository, separate from Guix and not connected to the project
> could be created in order to add linux-Libre. That way, GuixSD could in
> no way be ever called a Linux distribution. An action like this could
> even help all other GNU distros as well as distinguish GuixSD from all.

This is not a reasonable goal and it is not a productive proposal for a
number of reasons.

If you want to port the GNU system to have it use the FreeBSD kernel you
are welcome to give it a try, but this would be a *major* undertaking
that I can only advise against.  The GNU C library does not natively
support the FreeBSD kernel, so it is a *much* less realistic goal than
to build a Hurd-based Guix system.

All this for merely giving people a reason to stop using the term “Linux
distribution”?

Linux libre is one of the GNU system’s supported kernels; why should we
limit our options just because of the terms other people use?  If people
choose to call Guix a “Linux distribution” that’s their decision (and it
is understandable from their perspective even if we disagree with that
point of view) – it would be foolish to interpret this situation as an
imperative to abandon Linux(-libre).

--
Ricardo


PS: in case this was meant as a joke: it’s hard to be sure on this
Internet of ours :)