www links/links.html philosophy/common-distros....

[Brett Smith]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Brett Smith <brett>     09/02/12 17:03:52

Modified files:
        links          : links.html 
Added files:
        philosophy     : common-distros.html 

Log message:
        Add explanation why we don't endorse common distros.  Approved by RMS.
        
        If people ask why we don't endorse such-and-such distro, you can
        probably point them to this page now.  We'll try to keep it as
        up-to-date as possible.
        
        A logistical note: I have pointedly *not* put anchors in
        common-distros.html.  This is because the stuff at the top of the page
        is probably the most important, since it discusses issues that are
        common to all of those distributions.  It also helps set a less
        confrontational tone for the document.  So please just go ahead and
        link them to the page.  It's not long and never should be, so it
        shouldn't be much trouble for them to find the notes about the
        specific distribution they're interested in.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/common-distros.html?cvsroot=www&rev=1.1
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/links/links.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.175&r2=1.176

Patches:
Index: links/links.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/links/links.html,v
retrieving revision 1.175
retrieving revision 1.176
diff -u -b -r1.175 -r1.176
--- links/links.html    11 Feb 2009 11:49:21 -0000      1.175
+++ links/links.html    12 Feb 2009 17:03:49 -0000      1.176
@@ -54,6 +54,13 @@
 work to achieve that goal, and hope to list them here some day.
 </p>
 
+<p>If you're wondering why a certain popular distribution isn't listed
+here, you may want to check our page
+explaining <a href="/philosophy/common-distros.html">why we don't
+endorse some common distributions</a>.  There, we've listed the
+reasons why several well-known distributions don't meet our
+guidelines.</p>
+
 <p>All of the distributions that follow are installable to a computer
 hard drive and most can be run live.  They are listed in no particular
 order.  We list <a href="companies.html">companies that sell hardware
@@ -466,7 +473,7 @@
 <p>
 Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2009/02/11 11:49:21 $
+$Date: 2009/02/12 17:03:49 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>

Index: philosophy/common-distros.html
===================================================================
RCS file: philosophy/common-distros.html
diff -N philosophy/common-distros.html
--- /dev/null   1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 -0000
+++ philosophy/common-distros.html      12 Feb 2009 17:03:46 -0000      1.1
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
+<title>Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems - GNU Project - Free 
Software Foundation</title>
+<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
+<h2>Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems</h2>
+
+<!-- This document uses XHTML 1.0 Strict, but may be served as -->
+<!-- text/html.  Please ensure that markup style considers -->
+<!-- appendix C of the XHTML 1.0 standard. See validator.w3.org. -->
+
+<!-- Please ensure links are consistent with Apache's MultiView. -->
+<!-- Change include statements to be consistent with the relevant -->
+<!-- language, where necessary. -->
+
+<p>We're often asked why we don't endorse a particular
+system&mdash;usually a popular GNU/Linux distribution.  The short
+answer to that question is that they don't follow
+the <a href="/philosophy/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html">free
+system distribution guidelines</a>.  But since it isn't always easy to
+see how a particular system fails to follow the guidelines, we still
+get these questions.  We've published this list to help address
+those.</p>
+
+<p>All of the distributions listed on this page fail to follow the
+guidelines in at least two important ways:</p>
+
+<ul>
+<li><p>They do not have a policy of <em>only</em> including free
+software, and removing nonfree software if it is discovered.  Most of
+them have no clear policy on what software they'll accept or reject at
+all.  The distributions that do have a policy unfortunately aren't
+strict enough, as explained below.</p></li>
+<li><p>The version of the kernel Linux that they distribute includes
+blobs: pieces of object code, distributed without source,
+usually to help operate some device.</p></li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>Below are additional notes about some popular GNU/Linux
+distributions, listed in alphabetical order.  This may not be a list
+of every issue; while we've done our best to be comprehensive, there
+may be other issues that we simply don't know about.  On the flip
+side, circumstances might have changed since we last updated this
+page; if you think one of the issues here has been addressed,
+please <a href="mailto:address@hidden";>let us know</a>.  We review
+all systems carefully before endorsing them.</p>
+
+<h3>CentOS</h3>
+
+<p>We're not aware of problems in CentOS aside from the two listed
+above: there's no clear policy about what software can be included,
+and nonfree blobs are shipped with Linux.  Of course, with no firm
+policy in place, there might be other nonfree software included that
+we missed.</p>
+
+<h3>Debian</h3>
+
+<p>Debian's Social Contract does say that all software in the main
+distribution will be free software.  Unfortunately, that's not always
+true in practice.  Debian has repeatedly made tacit or explicit
+exceptions for specific pieces of nonfree software, such as the blobs
+included in or accompanying Linux.  We're still hopeful that there
+won't be such exceptions in the future, but we can't turn a blind eye
+to the situation as it stands today.</p>
+
+<p>Debian also provides a repository of nonfree software.  According
+to the project, this software is &ldquo;not part of the Debian
+system.&rdquo; We understand that's important for organizational
+reasons, but users would be hard-pressed to make a distinction.  The
+nonfree repositories are often featured as prominently as the main
+ones throughout Debian's web site, documentation, and other
+materials.</p>
+
+<h3>Fedora</h3>
+
+<p>Fedora does have a clear policy about what can be included in the
+distribution, and it seems to be followed carefully.  The policy
+requires that most software and all fonts be available under a free
+license, but makes an exception for certain kinds of nonfree firmware.
+Unfortunately, the decision to allow that firmware in the policy keeps
+Fedora from meeting the free system distribution guidelines.</p>
+
+<h3>Gentoo</h3>
+
+<p>Gentoo makes it easy to install a number of nonfree programs through
+their primary package system.</p>
+
+<h3>Mandriva</h3>
+
+<p>Mandriva does have a stated policy about what can be included in the
+main system.  It's based on Fedora's, which means that it also allows
+certain kinds of nonfree firmware to be included.  On top of that, it
+permits software released under the original Artistic License to be
+included, even though that's a nonfree license.</p>
+
+<p>Mandriva also provides nonfree software through dedicated
+repositories.</p>
+
+<h3>openSUSE</h3>
+
+<p>openSUSE offers its users access to a repository of nonfree
+software.</p>
+
+<h3>Red Hat</h3>
+
+<p>Red Hat's enterprise distribution doesn't seem to have a clear policy
+about what software can be included.  Our understanding is that it
+makes it easy to obtain nonfree software, even beyond the proprietary
+firmware included with Fedora.</p>
+
+<h3>Slackware</h3>
+
+<p>We're not aware of problems in Slackware aside from the two listed
+above: there's no clear policy about what software can be included,
+and nonfree blobs are shipped with Linux.  Of course, with no firm
+policy in place, there might be other nonfree software included that
+we missed.</p>
+
+<h3>SUSE</h3>
+
+<p>Several nonfree software programs are available for download from
+SUSE's official FTP site.</p>
+
+<h3>Ubuntu</h3>
+
+<p>Ubuntu provides specific repositories of nonfree software.  Even if
+you don't use them, the default application installer will advertise
+nonfree software to you.</p>
+
+<h3>What about BSD distributions?</h3>
+
+<p>FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD all include instructions for obtaining
+nonfree programs in their ports system.  Also, BSD kernels include
+drivers with nonfree firmware.  Nonfree firmwares in Linux are called
+&ldquo;blobs,&rdquo; but in BSD parlance &ldquo;blob&rdquo; has a
+different meaning.  Thus, when BSD developers say their distributions
+contains no blobs, it is a miscommunication; they are talking about
+something else.</p>
+
+</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
+<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
+<div id="footer">
+
+<p>
+Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to 
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";><em>address@hidden</em></a>.
+There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> 
+the FSF.
+<br />
+Please send broken links and other corrections or suggestions to
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";><em>address@hidden</em></a>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Please see the 
+<a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations
+README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting
+translations of this article.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Copyright &copy; 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+</p>
+<address>51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110, USA</address>
+<p>Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article are
+permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided this
+notice, and the copyright notice, are preserved.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Updated:
+<!-- timestamp start -->
+$Date: 2009/02/12 17:03:46 $
+<!-- timestamp end -->
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<div id="translations">
+<h4>Translations of this page</h4>
+
+<!-- Please keep this list alphabetical by language code. -->
+<!-- Comment what the language is for each type, i.e. de is German. -->
+<!-- Write the language name in its own language (Deutsch) in the text. -->
+<!-- If you add a new language here, please -->
+<!-- advise address@hidden and add it to -->
+<!--  - /home/www/html/server/standards/README.translations.html -->
+<!--  - one of the lists under the section "Translations Underway" -->
+<!--  - if there is a translation team, you also have to add an alias -->
+<!--  to mail.gnu.org:/com/mailer/aliases -->
+<!-- Please also check you have the language code right; see: -->
+<!-- http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php -->
+<!-- If the 2-letter ISO 639-1 code is not available, -->
+<!-- use the 3-letter ISO 639-2. -->
+<!-- Please use W3C normative character entities. -->
+
+<ul class="translations-list">
+<!-- English -->
+<li><a href="/philosophy/common-distros.html">English</a>&nbsp;[en]</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+</body>
+</html>