Re: [seul-edu] SEUL Licensing (was: Our presence at trade shows)

[Hilaire Fernandes <hilaire@ofset.org>]

 > >
 > > You are doing more than not refusing, you are advocating for
 > > commercial port. This is a big difference. In our school network we
 > > have some non free software for GNU/Linux but I will not ask to Corel
 > > about a Corel Draw, instead I will prefer to contact the Sketch author
 > > and ask what kind of help he needs.
 > >
 > 
 > I am definitely doing so.  Your example is well chosen--Sketch exists as an initial
 > effort towards doing the things that Corel Draw does.  Now, rather than ask MECC to
 > port Amazon Trail to Linux, which free project should we attempt to help?  There
 > _is_ no one working on similar programs for Linux; I've checked.  As soon as such a

So why not looking for someone that can develop such a software
instead of asking to MECC? BTW, can you tell us what is Amazin Trail
and MECC?

 > project starts we'll gladly support it as much as we can.  Should we wait until
 > someone starts such a project and just tell people who are interested in using
 > Linux, "No, sorry, such programs don't exist on Linux," or should we encourage
 > companies to port their commercial software to Linux (Commercial isn't a dirty word;
 > there's nothing intrinsically wrong or less pure about software for a fee.  That's
 > the first and last I'll say about this basically political and philosophical
 > issue.)?
 
I also don't think commercial is a dirty world instead some license
give you less freedom than other and it's ok to sell free software.


 > >  > There's an axis between total pragmatism and total idealism.  At one end, any
 > >  > means justify the end; at the other, the means _define_ the end.  We all
 > >  > exist at some point along this axis.  For me, the end is using Linux to
 > >  > enhance education (a vague goal, I know).  The means include being inclusive
 > >  > of anyone or any group that sincerely and honorably wants to work toward a
 > >  > similar end.
 > >
 > > Do you think Linux, GCC, GDB, Gnome, Kde, Gimp will have come true if
 > > RMS didn't push so hard for 16 years ?
 > 
 > Well, perhaps KDE isn't so good an example, since Qt didn't meet RMS's approval

<offtopic>
KDE is not Qt, KDE is GPL depending on a non copyleft library owned by a
Corp. This is probably a good reason for corp. like IBM to have
choosen Gnome instead of KDE, they don't want to repeat their mistake.
</offtopic>

 > until very recently (if it does).  However, obviously his continued push for free
 > software had a major influence on the development of all of these.  Please don't
 > misinterpret my not insisting on nothing but free software as being a rejection of
 > free software; it isn't that.  As I've said continually, free software is my first
 > choice.  But in niches where such isn't available and isn't likely to be forthcoming

I know that Doug. But i'm concerned that the two directions you take
in the same time will hurt free software spirit in education and
teaching.  I think that commercial edu soft will be ported when
GNU/Linux will spread in school and home, we don't need to advocate
for that.



Hilaire