[dundee] What's in a name?

[Paul Lancaster]

Hi
I suppose I can understand "where he's comming from", all that hard work 
and no recognition, but is not part of the Free software ideal, that the 
software goes forth, evolves and continues to evolve. That evolution may 
transform the original far from the creators initial idea but as long as 
it remains free and its original principles are not compromised, he 
should be proud and supporting towards what his prodigy has evolved 
into. Lets face it half of the population are liable to change their 
name during their life, and their parents have to happy about it.
>>
>> * Digital restrictions management.  Conspiracies of businesses to
>> restrict the technology available to the public should be an serious
>> offense leading to imprisonment.
>>     
>
> Evil.
>   

Goto agree here, if I purchase an Item, I expect to have the freedom to decide how/where/when I use it. Perhaps if the distribution industry put as much effort and resources into reducing their costs and proliferation of standards, people would be less likley to infringe the creators copyright.

>   
>> * Unjust laws such as the EUCD, and its implementations
>> which are even worse than the EUCD itself.
>>     
>
> Dunno what this is.
>  
>   
>> * Software patents.
>>     
>
> Evil.
>   
I have difficulty in seeing what these actually achieve apart from 
stifling progress and making lawyers lots of commision.
>  
>   
>> * Hardware with secret specifications.
>>     
>
> A pain to be sure, but sometimes there are higher orders involved.
>
> The two current main hardware problems for LInux are graphics adaptors
> and WiFi network cards.
>
> The WiFi has some of those higher order problems (governments don't
> want you to change the radiometric capabilities of your card).  
>
> I think the current best solution for these is to do the radio bit in
> binary firmware blob that can be loaded at run time.. Rather than nasty
> kernel/user space hacks like NDISWrapper and regulatory daemons.
>   
Often secret / hidden specifications are ways of producing a 
chip/product that can full fill several functions or markets and reduce 
manufacturing cost for example nEUtered DV camcorders, to avoid the 10% 
import surcharge applied to VCR's entering into the EU camcorder 
manufacturers disabled the DV in feature. However , I feel using open 
source software on closed soucre hardware is imoral ie Tele settop boxes.
>   
>> * Bundling of non-free operating systems with computers by stores.
>>     
>
> Well, you can get Linux pre-installed from various places so there is
> at least a choice.
>   
Problem is OS free systems dont work out of the box, and most box 
shifters and supermarkets struggle past is it plugged in, its then 
difficult to prove  whether  its a hardware fault or incorrect or 
incompatible installation by the owner. Manufacturers would then 
standardise on one distribution for support and how many want to use 
microsoft linux- sorry suse.
>  
>   
>> * Use of non-free formats for communication with the public by
>> governments and by businesses.
>>     
>
> Evil.
>   
nuff said
>   
>> * Schools should not teach non-free software -- it is unethical.
>>     
>
> It's hard to disagree with that. They should at least teach some
> free software or at least make it known and give the benefits of using
> open standards/protocols etc.
>   
Even worse the windoze hardware requirement / upgrade cycle means the 
majority of the school IT budget is spent renewing hardware to be able 
to run the latest version of windows/office.
>  
>   
>> // end quote
>>
>> catch you guys later
>>
>> Arron
>>
>>     
>
> Andrew
>
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>   
End of my penny's worth

Paul