Re: [GNU-linux-libre] emulators and other hosts of foreign applications

[bill-auger]

On Sat, 08 Jul 2023 22:53:07 -0400 Richard wrote:
>   > this part just went full-circle back to a few weeks ago
>   > "emulators and other hosts of foreign applications"
>   > 
> https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/gnu-linux-libre/2023-06/msg00088.html  
> 
> You're focusing on abstract classifications of programs, but that's
> not what this issue is about.
>
> Right now we are thinking about the ScummVM case.  I do NOT expect we
> will want to treat all such cases alike.
> 
> I don't think that "being a VM" is a pertinent factor anyway.
> 
>     even those which would be the safest to recommend, such as QEMU, can run
>     non-free software as well as anything
> 
> That is too terse for me to follow.  What _exactly_ is the stance
> you are arguing against?

all of that was based on the previous context - you asked the question:

On Mon, 19 Jun 2023 22:54:31 -0400 Richard wrote:
> Is this kind of issue really limited to emulators?  There are other
> kinds of programs which are platforms to run other programs, and I
> think that they would all raise similar issues

my answer was "no, this kind of issue applies to any emulator, VM, or
interpreter" - it only depends on how generically the concern is applied - that
is why i changed the subject; because generally, the concern goes well beyond
scummvm, to any "hosts of foreign applications" (wine, java, python, audio
plugin hosts, you name it)

as for which are predominantly used to run non-free software, id say the three
topping that list would be QEMU, wine, and audio plugin hosts