Re: [gNewSense-users] Burned by Add / Remove with delta-h. Sources hosed now.

[Brian Greer]

Paul O'Malley - gnu's not unix - wrote:
> (A) this is gnewsense not some other distro so their repos most likely 
> will bring non free things
> (B) they suggest you don't randomly add repos
> (C) you are on the gNS mailing list, therefore you should not be 
> suggesting non free software - that is why we have issues with a certain 
> browser, nothing to do with their trademark - and to make the point 
> clearer let me add --

I only performed this test to point out that the capability to add 
Ubuntu third-party repos from from within gNewSense itself is just a 
few mouse-clicks away.  I am not promoting the use of third-party 
repos, just bringing it to the forefront as a problem with gNewSense 
that needs dealing with at some point.  I'd deal with it now - 
unfortunately I'm not a programmer, but I believe it is a hole that 
should be closed.

I support a few gNewSense machines for friends and family, and even 
though I try to educate them about free software, I don't want them 
to be tempted by discovering this easily mouse-clickable capability 
when they go exploring the system on their own.  If it were me, I'd 
remove add/remove completely and rely solely on synaptic or apt-get 
until the hole is closed.

If I wanted to promote non-free software, I certainly wouldn't use 
gNewSense as a base to add third party repos to -- It doesn't make 
sense.  Had I wanted to promote open-source, rather than free 
software, I would have installed Ubuntu for them.

Fortunately, on my last trips to them, I hid add/remove so they 
wouldn't be tempted to go exploring on it their own, and possibly 
fall into the trap.