Re: [Savannah-hackers] This web site (called Savannah) is a centralpoin

[Mathieu Roy]

Hi,

Jaime, I'm doubtfull about the addition of "that runs on free operating
systems" in the front page sentence "This web site (called Savannah) is a
central point for development, distribution and maintenance of Free
Software".

First, we don't have to mimic ancient roman's law text and stating
every cases possible in a two-lines front-page description. There are
also others requirements, and they are not in this description. For
instance, we should also add "GPL compatible".

Vianney Lecroart that asked us to modify this sentence was totally
wrong when he said that the previous one (without "that runs on free
operating systems") was a lie, as you and Rudy noticed.
We would be liars only if we write that "Savannah is a central point
... of any Free Software in the world without any conditions". 
Vianney Lecroart, working for Nevrax, so making free software that run
on non-free platform, was probably disappointed by this requirement
and that's probably why this requirement seemed to him so important.

Second, adding this means giving two informations in this description
: software must be free, and must run on free platform. I think it's a
bad idea to mix that here. 
We should keep this description only focused on software freedom.  
Running on a free platform serves software freedom. It shouldn't
appears like a goal but part of the whole free software idea Software
is free only when (also) running on free OSes. That's why it's
important: to keep software freedom. Like the GPL is a mean, not a
goal.  

Also saying "we also host Free Software projects that are not part of
the GNU Project, but run on free platforms" can be misleading,
almost opposing being part of the GNU project and running on free
platforms. 

But since my english is boring, I maybe just misunderstand
it. Translated litterally in french "qui ne font pas partie du projet 
GNU, mais qui tournent sur des SE libres", it's seems really
questionnable. 
 
Maybe add "at least" would be better ("but run at least on free
platforms").  

Finally, I think adding a new paragraph with the two most importants
requirements (GPL-compatible, running on free OS) would be more
appropriate, separated from the two first lines, focused on software
freedom with the link http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

What do you think?

-- 
Mathieu Roy
 
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