Re: MAME emulator is giving incentive to use non-free software

[Jean Louis]

On Tue, Mar 29, 2016 at 12:35:12PM +0100, address@hidden wrote:
> MAME, Wine, Qemu and GNU/linux-libre all have the following in common: You
> can use them to run non free software. While they can all also be used to
> run free software I don't think this is important. Here's why: The freedom
> to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).

OK, please remember, I discuss this in friendly manner, totally separate
from other subjects. It is not personal. I wish that people get
awareness of what means pushing free software into society.

I do feel that in GuixSD, since yesterday, there is lack of the
understanding what means truly free software. When Trademark issue is
not recognized over MAME® trademark, I also see that there is lack of
legal advice. Person who owns trademark may impose future restrictions
on software even demand moneys for sales of such. So that issue is
separate to be handled if MAME is included in GuixSD.

Including a package such as MAME is convenient for gamers, but does not
push free software into the society. People who make free software
distributions shall undertand that important responsibility.

Did you read the guidelines?
http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html

Cite:

"What would be unacceptable is for the documentation to give people
instructions for installing a nonfree program on the system, or mention
conveniences they might gain by doing so."

Does README.md here, belongs to documentation? I think it does.
https://github.com/mamedev/mame

Does it encite users to use non-free software by "preserving decades of
software history"? It does.

Does it give incentive to users by "Where can I find out more?" to come
to the official website and does the official website offer any free
software? No, they don't. They offer ROMs, which cannot be even copied.

Does then GuixSD gives incentive by distributing MAME to users, to use
non-free software? Absolutely yes.

Are users of MAME who ask for support within that community to run MAME,
going to be divided because they will not get support truly, but they
will rather be rejected with "sorry, we don't support proprietary
installations of ROMs" -- yes, it will happen, just as it is already
happening with Trisquel.

I use free software and I am free and fine with it. I am not using free
software to have 2 faces or to recommend to others non-free software.

For that reason that MAME gives incentive to majority of users to use
non-free software, it shall not be included in distribution.

Jean Louis