Let's not try to sweeten it [LWN.net]

Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 28, 2004 0:06 UTC (Sat) by emkey (guest, #144)
In reply to: Let's not try to sweeten it by xav
Parent article: Linux loses the Philips webcam driver

Its a loss to Free Software because its one more bit of functionality lost over a largely pointless idiological point.

I care about features. I care about there being a real alternative to Microsoft Windows on the desktop. Within certain boundaries nothing else matters to me. Its pretty much that simple. And losing a significant bit of functionality in this way works against my interests and the interests of a lot of people who feel that idiology should be properly balanced against reality.

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Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 28, 2004 7:23 UTC (Sat) by xav (subscriber, #18536) [Link]

Then, really, use something like MacOS X, it is exactely what you want.
You didn't understand what Free Software is, it's not just an alternative to Windows. Respecting the GPL isn't a "largely pointless idiological point", it's what enables linux to progress and be independant of software vendors - it's more pragmatic than you think.

And then, bitching about your interests won't get you very far. The guys who will solve that current little problem will be the ones who decide to work on a new driver (or take over the old), not the ones whining on the forums.

Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 31, 2004 20:12 UTC (Tue) by emkey (guest, #144) [Link]

No, I understand perfectly well what free software is. The thing is as long as it is free to me I could care less where it comes from.

And no, I don't consider MacOS an alternative.

Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 31, 2004 21:24 UTC (Tue) by marduk (subscriber, #3831) [Link]

The above comment demonstrates that you don't know what free software is. See here.

Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 29, 2004 17:09 UTC (Sun) by ncm (subscriber, #165) [Link]

It's lucky for you that somebody else is looking out for your interests, because you obviously don't understand them yourself. Free Software is about actually free software. Without that, it isn't about anything. Who would participate in something that isn't about anything? It would just fade away like so many other projects that are started and cannot sustain themselves.

Let's not try to sweeten it

Posted Aug 31, 2004 20:13 UTC (Tue) by emkey (guest, #144) [Link]

Gee, thanks for caring...

Personally I prefer to look out for my own interests. Something I'm 100% capable of doing by the way.