Re: [GNU-linux-libre] Free software and open source

[Richard Stallman]

    > For instance, many Android phones contain tivoized versions of Linux.
    > Those executables are open source

    Are they, really?  Few years ago, I got in touch with the OSI board
    asking them whether they believed Tivoized software fit their
    definition.

If you look at their definition, none of the criteria addresses the
issue.  Recall that they have a long list of rather specific criteria.
I don't see how any of them provides a basis to reject a tivoized
executable.  Most of them are about the source code only.

If they don't agree amongst themselves, it could be that they feel
there's something wrong with tivoized software but they don't see how
to reject it based on their definition.

    It might be nice to try to get an official decision from them, so that
    they either join our fight against Tivoization, or provide us with an
    irrefutable argument about differences between our position and theirs
    that would be understandable even by those who refuse to take ethical
    and moral considerations into account.

It would be useful.  If they think that tivoization must be rejected,
they could amend their definition, and that would be good.

Would you like to talk with them about this?

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org  www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
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