I am now seeing many guys here who SAYS them as Linux [GNU/Linux Users] and talks about freedom.But when I ask them about the distro there reply is some times sad one for me - linspire.I dont think the linspire as Linux.Itssimply proprietary.Its on EULA.Although the basic GNU/Linux system is free software, most of the GNU/Linux versions now available include a small amount of non-free software--just enough to spoil them as a way to attain freedom. But Linspire is in a class by itself; large and important parts of this system are non-free. No other GNU/Linux distribution has back slided so far away from freedom. Switching from MS Windows to Linspire does not bring you to freedom, it just gets you a different master.
| Hiran Venugopalan | | Palakkad Libre software Users Society | Adding freedom to common minds | | 09846951870 | hiran.v@gmail.com |
Hiran Venugopalan wrote:
I am now seeing many guys here who SAYS them as Linux [GNU/Linux Users] and talks about freedom.But when I ask them about the distro there reply is some times sad one for me - linspire.I dont think the linspire as Linux.Itssimply proprietary.Its on EULA.Although the basic GNU/Linux system is free software, most of the GNU/Linux versions now available include a small amount of non-free software--just enough to spoil them as a way to attain freedom. But Linspire is in a class by itself; large and important parts of this system are non-free. No other GNU/Linux distribution has back slided so far away from freedom. Switching from MS Windows to Linspire does not bring you to freedom, it just gets you a different master.
Not that I disagree with you or anything, but in an attempt to correct that image, they've recently released a project called Freespire [http://www.freespire.org/]. As far as I understand it, this contains Free software, whereas Linspire is the tainted product with all the proprietary drivers, codecs and software.
Actually, I just went though their FAQ, and quoting from question number 6:
"6. So, is Freespire open source or proprietary?
Again, the choice is yours. There are two versions of Freespire available. The main Freespire version is approximately 99% open source, as it does include certain proprietary drivers, codecs and software in cases where there are no viable open source solutions yet available."
Clearly, they haven't learnt. Don't mind this e-mail.
Harish
Here goes the story of Freespire [From wikipedia] :
In August 2005, a distribution LiveCD called "Freespire" hit the web by accident. Freespire was a GNU/Linux distribution based on the source pools from Linspire. This distribution was created by Andrew Betts ( http://www.andrewbetts.com/ ) and was not produced or released by Linspire Inc. Freespire was confused by some users to be an actual product from Linspire, and its creator voluntarily changed the name to avoid legal problems from Linspire. As of the name change, the former Freespire adopted a development codename "Squiggle" ( http://www.squiggleos.org/ ), and began contemplation of a new distro name. Linspire then, on the back of the generated publicity, offered users a "free Linspire" (purchase price discounted to $0) by using the coupon code "Freespire" until September 9th 2005, thereby greatly increasing its userbase. Squiggle OS however, is no longer in development.
As of April 24, 2006, Linspire announced "Freespire" ( http://www.freespire.org ). The new Freespire distribution was announced by Linspire President and CEO Kevin Carmony. This distribution, will be a Debian-based, community driven and supported project tied to the commercial Linspire distribution Here we are not having much freespire users.But there is a Gang of non-pirated as well as pirated [term is here since its having a cost and license is EULA] Linspire users
On 4/25/06, Harish Narayanan harish@gamebox.net wrote:
Hiran Venugopalan wrote:
I am now seeing many guys here who SAYS them as Linux [GNU/Linux Users]
and
talks about freedom.But when I ask them about the distro there reply is
some
times sad one for me - linspire.I dont think the linspire as
Linux.Itssimply
proprietary.Its on EULA.Although the basic GNU/Linux system is free software, most of the GNU/Linux versions now available include a small amount of non-free software--just enough to spoil them as a way to
attain
freedom. But Linspire is in a class by itself; large and important parts
of
this system are non-free. No other GNU/Linux distribution has back
slided so
far away from freedom. Switching from MS Windows to Linspire does not
bring
you to freedom, it just gets you a different master.
Not that I disagree with you or anything, but in an attempt to correct that image, they've recently released a project called Freespire [http://www.freespire.org/]. As far as I understand it, this contains Free software, whereas Linspire is the tainted product with all the proprietary drivers, codecs and software.
Actually, I just went though their FAQ, and quoting from question number 6:
"6. So, is Freespire open source or proprietary?
Again, the choice is yours. There are two versions of Freespire available. The main Freespire version is approximately 99% open source, as it does include certain proprietary drivers, codecs and software in cases where there are no viable open source solutions yet available."
Clearly, they haven't learnt. Don't mind this e-mail.
Harish
Fsf-friends mailing list Fsf-friends@mm.gnu.org.in http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends
-- | Hiran Venugopalan | | Palakkad Libre software Users Society | Adding freedom to common minds | | Hiranyam | Ayodhya Nagar | Pallipuram Post | Palakkad | Kerala | PIN 678006 | | 09846951870 | hiran.v@gmail.com |
2006/4/25, Hiran Venugopalan hiran.v@gmail.com:
Here we are not having much freespire users.But there is a Gang of non-pirated as well as pirated [term is here since its having a cost and license is EULA] Linspire users
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Piracy -- "Value your freedom, or you will lose it, teaches history. `Don't bother us with politics', respond those who don't want to learn." -- Richard Stallman Me scribbles at http://www.pravi.co.nr
On Tue, Apr 25, 2006 at 07:17:27PM +0530, Hiran Venugopalan wrote:
Here goes the story of Freespire [From wikipedia] :
Here we are not having much freespire users.But there is a Gang of non-pirated as well as pirated [term is here since its having a cost and license is EULA] Linspire users
The real pirates are those who try to control the society with their gun(ELUA).
With regards M.Balakrishna Pillai
-
Harish Narayanan -
Hiran Venugopalan -
M.Balakrishna Pillai -
प्रव ीण् ए (Praveen A)