Re: incorrect statement on www page

From: Jonathan Gray (jsg_at_goblin.cx)
Date: 04/29/05

  • Next message: Poul-Henning Kamp: "Re: incorrect statement on www page" 
    Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:19:07 +1000
To: "Greg 'groggy' Lehey" <grog@FreeBSD.org>

    On Fri, Apr 29, 2005 at 04:31:22PM +0930, Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote:
    > On Thursday, 28 April 2005 at 17:23:22 +0100, Bruce M Simpson wrote:
    > > On Fri, Apr 29, 2005 at 01:48:59AM +1000, Jonathan Gray wrote:
    > >> I came across the following incorrect statement when
    > >> browsing http://www.freebsd.org
    > >>
    > >> "FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with full source code"
    > >>
    > >> Sadly I do not think this has been true for some time.
    > >
    > > I disagree; the wording isn't misleading. However, to address such concerns,
    > > it might be better worded as "comes with full source code, and also ships
    > > with some binary driver components".
    >
    > A more accurate statement might be:
    >
    > "FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with full source
    > code. In addition, many third-party drivers are available, some in
    > source, others in binary-only format".
    >
    > The important thing is that the FreeBSD project is not withholding
    > *any* source code. The only binary-only components are from other
    > people who don't allow distribution of *their* source.

    If these binary only components come with FreeBSD they are part
    of FreeBSD as far as most people are concerned. There are binary
    components with no publically available source code in FreeBSD,
    so it is not full source code.

    Additionally supporting such things hinders progress on acceptable
    alternatives be they drivers with full source or use of other vendors.
    _______________________________________________
    freebsd-current@freebsd.org mailing list
    http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current
    To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-current-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"

  • Next message: Poul-Henning Kamp: "Re: incorrect statement on www page"

    Relevant Pages

    • RE: Interested in selling retail freeBSD sets
      ... The market would pay a lot more if some of these wanna be distributors ... Interested in selling retail freeBSD sets ... not claim to have produced it nor charge for it. ...
      (freebsd-questions)
    • Re: How to abtain FreeBSD source code
      ... > I'm a software engineer in the networking industry. ... Can I get FreeBSD source code without any charge? ...
      (freebsd-questions)
    • Re: Some Simple Questions
      ... You can download it at no charge. ... FreeBSD runs on laptops. ...
      (freebsd-questions)
    • incorrect statement on www page
      ... I came across the following incorrect statement when ... "FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with full source code" ...
      (freebsd-current)
    • Re: Interested in selling retail freeBSD sets
      ... We're interested in selling freeBSD along with a range of other OS ... How would we going about obtaining these? ... not claim to have produced it nor charge for it. ... You can obtain the iso images to produce the CDs from the FreeBSD site. ...
      (freebsd-questions)