Re: [GNU-linux-libre] [Trisquel-devel] FSDG question: extension of bleachbit patch for Trisquel

[bill-auger]

i will also add that parabola make no modifications to the upstream
bleachbit other than forcing python2 - presumably that is true for the
other FSDG distros as well - so if this is indeed something to be
addressed by patches then it is not only pertinent to trisquel and this
conversation should be escalated to the gnu-linux-libre mailing list so
that the other distros can join the discussion

below i will repost the previous messages for their benefit

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On 12/25/2017 07:59 PM, Pablo Correa Gómez wrote:
> Dear FSF's licensing team.
> 
>       I am Pablo, and I have recently started helping in the
> development of Trisquel. I am writing you because in the last
> developers meeting there was a discussion about how patch the program
> "Bleachbit" to remove the advocacy of non-free Software, but there
> wasn't a clear agreement on how to do it based on FSDG.
> 
>       Basically, Bleachbit is a program able to remove temporary
> files from different other programs. Unfortunately, it mentions and
> supports some non-free programs that are not supported by Trisquel, but
> that could be installed from source or from Ubuntu repositories. It can
> also run in Windows.
> 
>       We have patched the program in a way that a regular user will
> not be suggested non-free software while running Bleachbit, as all
> references have been removed. In addition, the functionality of
> Bleachbit with non-free programs that could be installed in Trisquel
> has also been removed. For example, Chromium functionality has been
> removed, so if someone installs it, grabbing it from Ubuntu's
> repositories, Bleachbit will not be able to clean its temporary files.
> 
>       However, if some more advanced user downloads the source code
> of Bleachbit found in Trisquel's repositories, it will be able to find
> Windows' related files and references to non-free programs inside those
> files, as well metadata of non-free programs that can only be installed
> under Windows.
> 
>       The question raised in the meeting was if we should also remove
> non-free references inside Windows' related files, making the patch
> bigger and then increasing the maintenance overhead, or just to keep
> them as they are, which means that regular users will have a program
> that behaves according to FSDG.
> 
>       I hope I have made clear myself, and I'm sorry if my English is
> not good enough. Please ask for any clarifications about the issue if
> you believe it hasn't been properly explained.
>       Please, CC your answer to address@hidden,
> so everyone involved in the development can have a first hand answer to
> the issue.
> 
> Best regards,
> Pablo.
> _______________________________________________
> Trisquel-devel mailing list
> address@hidden
> https://listas.trisquel.info/mailman/listinfo/trisquel-devel
> 

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On 12/26/2017 01:43 PM, bill-auger wrote:
> i will add again what i said at that meeting - i think it is safe to
> assume that the FSDG has no suggestions against the deletion of files
> created by non-free programs - the the FSDG's intention is merely not to
> suggest using non-free programs in the first place - but if these files
> are already present i dont see any reason why bleachbit should be
> prevented from deleting them - surely that is preferable to leaving them
> on the *nix filesystem if present - my suggestion to change the labels
> in the GUI to not mention the brand names of the programs that created
them
>
> even the windows .DS_Store files are already labeled simply that:
> '.DS_Store' with no mention of 'Windows' - surely that is not condoning
> or even suggesting the use of Windows by noting it will delete any files
> named *.DS_Store - it is really only suggesting that any such files are
> unwanted - removing the cleaners for non-free programs entirely greatly
> reduces the usefulness of the bleachbit program - 'Chromium' and 'Google
> Chrome' for example, if you have ever used bleachbit, are among the
> largest set of files to be deleted - it is the very purpose of that
> program to delete files you do not want in order to free up disk space
> and deleting the caches of those two program along with firefox are by
> far the ones that will free up the most disk space if used regularly
>
> perhaps you could just change the labels where they read 'Chromium' and
> 'Google Chrome' to 'Non-Free Browser' so that bleachbit would still be
> allowed to delete their files without mentioning them by name - if i am
> not mistaken i think that bleachbit will only show programs that it has
> actually detected traces of so this would have the added effect of
> pointing out clearly to the user that the use of non-free programs has
> been detected on the system
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Trisquel-devel mailing list
> address@hidden
> https://listas.trisquel.info/mailman/listinfo/trisquel-devel
>

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