[GNU-linux-libre] Review of Trisquel 4.0 at Distrowatch

[Henry Jensen]

Hello,

I was glad to find a review of Trisquel 4.0 at Distrowatch
at http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20101004#feature

I am very interested  in the different GNU/Linux distros, especially 
in the fully free ones for different reasons. One reason is, that I am 
part of a team that is creating a distro ourselves.

Anyway, the review itself leaves the reader with a positive impression 
of Trisquel. The Author, Jesse Smith, praises Trisquels  layout founds 
that performance was nicely balanced with eye candy. No argument from me here.

What bothers me is, that the author couldn't resist to attack fully free 
distros in general a little bit. He asserts that the reasons that he doesn't 
use fully free distros are that "most of these 100%-free software distros are 
based upon other distribution" (I belive, there are some which don't) and
that "making a more-free Fedora or Ubuntu sounds a bit like comparing vanilla 
ice cream with extra vanilla."

While I can understand this reason from a technical point of view (even it is 
not 
fully correct), with his second reason I can't aggree:

He writes:
"I am pro open-source software. Given the choice between a FOSS solution and a 
proprietary alternative, I would rather use the FOSS option. But in preferring 
libre solutions, I don't have anything against closed-source programs. 
Some FOSS-only distributions strike me as being more anti-proprietary than 
pro-free. [...] Frankly, I'm less interested in a revolution[...]"

I am thinking about answering him, explaining, that he confuses "open source" 
with "free software" and what "free software" is all about. Maybe you want to 
write 
him as well - or would this be futile?

Regards,

Henry