If you’re going to make an analogy between running a Linux OS with proprietary drivers, and “being murdered by the state by firing squad”, then again, you have a problem. It is by small, compromising steps such as the ones I described that people will start finding their way to freedom. First using Firefox and OpenOffice.org on Windows, then using the same programs on a Linux OS. First using Oracle on HP-UX, then Oracle on Linux, then PostgreSQL. First using proprietary drivers in Windows, then proprietary drivers in a Linux OS, then complaining to Nvidia that their lack of cooperation means their laptop can’t suspend+resume, then getting a video card for which free drivers are available. And so on. If you insist that people change everything all at once, they’ll conclude it’s too much effort, and they’ll stay trapped.

This is not a new strategy: Richard Stallman used it when producing GNU. First using a proprietary compiler to write a Free compiler, then writing Free utilities for use on proprietary kernels, then using those same utilities on the Linux kernel when it became available. It’s not a matter of being “content to live with only half of your freedom”; it’s a matter of leading people to freedom one step at a time.

1. Which is better freedom-wise? Being murdered by the state by firing squad or being murdered by the state by hanging?

2. Which is better freedom-wise? Suffering the torture of defying the dictator or quietly surrendering?

3. I think you get the idea.

4. Again, I think you get the idea.

I think you have, once again, made an ass of yourself. You did not read my post, you did not read my prior response to your comment, and you will only read portions of this that you think will make your argument stronger.

It is never okay to control another human being for profit. Those who engage in this behavior should not be rewarded. That’s pretty much the end of it.

Until such time as we are granted freedom, we should take it ourselves (that’s where that codec install link comes in) as best we can. Sometimes that means using proprietary codecs, sometimes that means running non-free flash, sometimes that even means using the proprietary drivers. But that’s what WE have to do to get as free as we can. But here the users are the victims. Here the users should do everything in their power to damage the interests of the proprietary entities that are causing them to be less free. That means reverse-engineering drivers, that means cracking open the flash formats, that means slurping out proprietary encryption keys from non-free software and packaging it in a way that is useful.

Sometimes we have to use this stuff to get things done. It is better not to do so, and it is never okay for these entities to attempt to control us like that. But in oppression you blame he oppressor not the oppressed.

If you’re content to live with only half of your freedom then you probably won’t get very far in an argument with me or on my blog.

1. Which is better freedom-wise: running a Linux OS with proprietary drivers, or running Windows with proprietary drivers?

2. Which is better freedom-wise: using a Linux OS with Windows Media codecs, or using Windows with Windows Media codecs? (Think carefully now.)

3. Which would be better freedom-wise: Dell offering machines with a choice of Windows or Opensuse, or Dell offering machines with Windows only?

4. Which is better freedom-wise: running Oracle on a Linux/OpenSolaris OS, or running Oracle on a Windows/OS X Server/HP-UX OS?

If your answer to any of those questions is “they’re equally bad”, then you have a problem.

Those people who insist all software must be Free play a useful role in increasing our freedom. But that role does not include abusing organizations like Dell, who are moving in the right direction, by engaging in “speculation” about how evil they could possibly be.

I’m speculating, based on past behavior of companies that claim to be adopting “open source” and end up restricting freedom even more than before they did anything at all (thanks a lot Apple).

The iTunes thing was a hypothetical example, not some sort of accusation.

The commercial that I linked to in the subsequent post where they were promoting Oracle as a way of getting away from “Proprietaryville” kinda proves my suspicions though. Dell is going where the money is, not where the freedom is. If they thought that getting iTunes over to a GNU/Linux operating system would make them more money, they’d throw dollars and cents at Apple and I’m sure Apple would consider it (though I doubt they’d agree).

Mr. mpt, before you comment on blogs using hypothetical examples and speculation (I haven’t seen a blog yet that wasn’t) you should learn the difference between concerns and speculation, and accusation. If you had read the FULL article, you would have seen that I’m actually excited about Dell’s talk of selling GNU/Linux OEM machines. I even said I’d buy one.

Also, what on earth makes you think Dell can get “Apple folks” to make iTunes for Linux? Since when has Dell been able to make Apple do anything?

I’m also not implying anything. I’m explicitly stating that if we say that proprietary software is okay, and we embrace it, it will become more of a problem. No implication there sir.

I also disagree with your final statement. I think GNU/Linux is becoming more popular because of what people can only do with non-free drivers. Many users play non-free games using a win32 emulator, and many users are starting to use composite window managers for eye-candy that wouldn’t be possible without non-free drivers for many. I also hear rumors (not sure how real they are) that Beryl has binary blobs in it as well.

Anyway, this most post seems like a bit of a non-sequitur. The advent of Linux distributions, and their popularity reaching a point where Dell is bundling them, is because of the freedom aspect.

There isn’t anything else - in almost any other customer satisfaction metric, Windows or OS X beat us.

You’re basically implying that, if Linux becomes more popular through proprietary driver support, there will be more proprietary driver support. Well, yeah, sure.

Except, that’s not how Linux is becoming more popular.