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Stallman: 'OpenBSD Ports Suggests Non-Free Software'

Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 17th Dec 2007 16:32 UTC, submitted by lmvaz

Richard Stallman sent a message to OpenBSD-Misc, explaining why he doesn't recommend OpenBSD. "From what I have heard, OpenBSD does not contain non-free software (though I am not sure whether it contains any non-free firmware blobs). However, its ports system does suggest non-free programs, or at least so I was told when I looked for some BSD variant that I could recommend. I therefore exercise my freedom of speech by not including OpenBSD in the list of systems that I recommend to the public." His mail started a huge thread (that's just page 1) and since then he's under a blast of messages from Theo de Raadt and the OpenBSD users. De Raadt replied: "Richard, you are wrong. You said very clearly in your interview that the ports tree contains non-free software. It does not. It is just a scaffold of Makefiles containing URLs, and an occasional patch here or there. You are just plain wrong. And you are not enough of a man to admit that you are wrong. I may be unfriendly at times, but you are a power-misusing hypocritical liar who attacks projects that try harder than any others to only make free software available. Shame on you."

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lmao

by google_ninja on Mon 17th Dec 2007 16:55 UTC

Member since:
2006-02-05

Richard, you are wrong. You said very clearly in your interview that the ports tree contains non-free software. It does not. It is just a scaffold of Makefiles containing URLs, and an occasional patch here or there. You are just plain wrong. And you are not enough of a man to admit that you are wrong. I may be unfriendly at times, but you are a power-misusing hypocritical liar who attacks projects that try harder than any others to only make free software available. Shame on you.

That totally made my day.

Reply Permalink Bookmark Score: 30

RE: lmao

by Luminair on Mon 17th Dec 2007 17:12 in reply to "lmao"

Member since:
2007-03-30

"I may be unfriendly at times, but you are a power-misusing hypocritical liar"

lol that was the best part

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 22

RE[2]: lmao

by bryanv on Mon 17th Dec 2007 18:59 in reply to "RE: lmao"

Member since:
2005-08-26

OUTSTANDING.

It's about time someone called it like it is.

I cannot take a single thing RMS says seriously. The man is a living parody.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 11

RE: lmao

by antwarrior on Mon 17th Dec 2007 17:18 in reply to "lmao"

Member since:
2006-02-11

stimmt!!!

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 0

RE: lmao

by Bogtha on Mon 17th Dec 2007 18:02 in reply to "lmao"

Member since:
2007-12-17

Unfortunately, it only highlights Theo as the hypocrite. The OpenBSD project itself considers the ports tree to contain the applications you can install through it. Straight from the FAQ:

Other browsers in the ports tree, include (in no particular order):
* Opera Commercial browser, i386 only (requires Linux emulation).

http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq8.html#Browsers

So the basis Theo uses to call Stallman a liar is a distinction so fine even the OpenBSD project itself doesn't make it!

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 23

RE[2]: lmao

by Oliver on Mon 17th Dec 2007 18:11 in reply to "RE: lmao"

Member since:
2006-07-15

If you don't get it, don't flame it. It's that easy, THERE IS NO NON-FREE SOFTWARE IN THE PORTS. Ports are just makefile, YOU, the very user, have to run the makefile, YOU are installing it and furthermore ports in OpenBSD aren't officially part of the supported OS. Maybe next time you should read the whole FAQ or use the system!

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 4