www/philosophy words-to-avoid.html

[Richard M. Stallman]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Richard M. Stallman <rms>       20/11/14 11:47:24

Modified files:
        philosophy     : words-to-avoid.html 

Log message:
        (alternative): Explain one case where term is valid.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.260&r2=1.261

Patches:
Index: words-to-avoid.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html,v
retrieving revision 1.260
retrieving revision 1.261
diff -u -b -r1.260 -r1.261
--- words-to-avoid.html 26 Oct 2020 13:08:00 -0000      1.260
+++ words-to-avoid.html 14 Nov 2020 16:47:24 -0000      1.261
@@ -193,11 +193,12 @@
 <h3 id="Alternative">&ldquo;Alternative&rdquo;</h3>
 <!-- GNUN-SORT-END-KEY -->
 <p>
-We don't describe free software as an &ldquo;alternative&rdquo; to
-proprietary, because that word presumes all the &ldquo;alternatives&rdquo; are
-legitimate and each additional one makes users better off.  In effect,
-it assumes that free software ought to coexist with software that does
-not respect users' freedom.</p>
+We don't describe free software in general as an
+&ldquo;alternative&rdquo; to proprietary, because that word presumes
+all the &ldquo;alternatives&rdquo; are legitimate and each additional
+one makes users better off.  In effect, it assumes that free software
+ought to coexist with software that does not respect users'
+freedom.</p>
 <p>
 We believe that distribution as free software is the only ethical way
 to make software available for others to use.  The other methods,
@@ -207,6 +208,13 @@
 as a Software Substitute</a> subjugate their users.  We do not think
 it is good to offer users those &ldquo;alternatives&rdquo; to free
 software.
+<p>
+Special circumstances can drive users toward running one particular
+program for a certain job.  For instance, when a web page sends
+JavaScript client code to the user's browser, that drives users toward
+running that specific client program rather than any possible other.
+In such a case, there is a reason to describe any other code for that
+job as an alternative.
 </p>
 
 <!-- GNUN-SORT-NEXT-ITEM -->
@@ -1410,7 +1418,7 @@
 
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2020/10/26 13:08:00 $
+$Date: 2020/11/14 16:47:24 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>