Re: [GNU-linux-libre] review PureOS ISO

[Jean Louis]

On Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 01:03:51PM -0800, Ivan Zaigralin wrote:
> On Thursday, November 10, 2016 12:13:56 Jaromil wrote:
> > Now to respond to a recently raised concern about Trisquel's list of
> > supported hardware, I believe this is different from offering a
> > *medium of distribution*. While Trisquel uses ISO files and CD/DVD
> > supports as mediums of distribution, Puri.sm does offer a
> > pre-installed Laptop PC as medium of distribution which contains
> > non-free software. Listing supported hardware is different and again
> > there is h-node.org for that.
> 
> Oh I understand the problem now. Still, it looks like there should be ways 
> around it. If a dedicated PureOS website provides an ISO which can be used 
> with any compatible laptop, is there a problem with mentioning Librem 
> hardware, or with Librem pre-installing PureOS? I would guess not.

The website page changed considerably in last days:
https://puri.sm/pureos/

1) They removed the navigation, so that there are no pointers to other
parts of the website, but because people come anyway there, there is
no sense in removing navigation.

2) They removed links to "our products". I don't think it is necesary
to completely remove it, but I do think that re-wording would be
useful.

Those are some efforts shown. That is good, even I think not so
necessary. It does not mean that above points are related to the Free
System Distribution Guidelines.

I just cannot get rid of a feeling in my guts, that the work on that
website, including the OS is done not so wholeheartedly. I must say
so. But does it matter? Not at all. 

We shall do what is possible that PureOS becomes a new endorsed FSF
distribution. They have invested money into it, and money is effort,
there is big effort behind, to make those things happen. There is need
to replace some software, to replace some terminology, that is really
not much to ask, and not hard to do.

Even if not with pure heart, according to my personal feelings, who
cares of it and my feelings? Let us have new free system distribution
with that nice design and promotion. They just need more pushing to
comply with the Free System Distribution Guidelines. They will comply,
but due to few people working, it is not easy.

and, why are my feelings so?

3) I would like to know more of their strategy of targeting "open
source" groups: "PureOS is entirely free/libre and open-source,
meaning you don’t have to trust our word that it respects and protects
you—it is independently verifiable by security experts and software
developers around the world"

Is it entireley open-source or entirely free/libre? What is it? For
me, it cannot be one or the other. So there are reasons of this kind
of marketing, and reasons are those of sales targets. That is why it
is not wholeharted, according to me.

"open source" is a word for itself. It does not represent the free
software. It is not an enemy, proprietary software is enemy.

But when teaching about free software, and 4 freedoms, one shall
really avoid such confusing terms, as it speaks then of different
political direction named "Open Source". 

Read more:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_movement

Jean Louis