non-free vs. free packages

[Couannette]

Zbigniew Luszpinski a écrit :
>>Hello all,
>>
>>One way to handle the free vs. non-free is to separate (a la a few
>>distributions) the non-free from the free into dispirate downloads.
>>e.g. have a moonbase-nonfree where modules such as nvidia_driver,
>>j2sdk, etc. can go. You can also add warnings to these packages that
>>tell a user they need to go do a few jigs around a maypole before they
>>can use it and to not forget the sacrificial chicken.
>>
>>The best way, I've found, is to keep the non-free as separate from the
>>free as possible and to even setup guidelines to define what 'free'
>>and 'non-free' mean to you as a group.
>>
>>-sandalle
> 
> 
> IMHO:
> Do we really need non-free packages in moonbase?
> Modules are mainly designed to provide information how to build source 
> packages. Non-free packages are usually binary and have their own binary 
> setup/installer/configurator - installation is done usually by running 
> installer which performs all needed operations automaticaly. So do not find 
> the need for existence of such modules in moonbase. There are so many cool 
> opensource modules that are outside moonbase which are much more worth 
> including than easy to install binaries.
> 
> greets,
> Zbigniew 'zbiggy' Luszpinski

Sorry Zbigniew but I'm forced to not agree with you.

I think *modules* are for "software modules" that you want installed in your
Lunar. Either source or binary.

The goal is to USE softwares I think, not to discuss endlessly about their
licenses. If some software has a terrible restrictive license don't bother /
loose your time making a "machine à gaz" to handle this problem, and to quote
cmak : let our vastly superior users figure things out  :), looool.

By the way I like sandalle's idea. A simple directory in Moonbase could handle
all that stuff ;). Or a flag in DETAILS like NON_FREE=yes.

Cheers,
Couannette