[Mageia-dev] Mageia repository sections, licenses, restrictions, firmware etc

Wed Oct 13 20:44:21 CEST 2010

Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
+
+> It's easy to communicate, it's easy to implement fitting even those
+> "dumb" users some people are talking about. Yesterday I installed the
+> new Ubuntu 10.10, a window opened near the end of the installation
+> process telling me that my hardware may need/use a non-free driver
+> which is available online. The text explains about the non-free status
+> in simple words and then I was asked if I wanted to activate this
+> non-free driver.
+> The same can be done with all that codec stuff. A window opens,
+> telling the user that he will need some special software to listen to
+> MP3s, watch his commercial DVDs, etc. The text explains in simple
+> words the legal implications which may or may not apply to his
+> country. After that he can decide with a simple mouse click on yes or
+> no or "ask later" (if he has no working internet connection at that
+> time. If he clicks on "activate", the needed software will be
+> downloaded and installed. If he clicks on "ask later" he will be asked
+> as soon as the script detects a working internet connection.
+> If he has selected "No" and still tries to open a commecrial DVD (or
+> whatever) the window ill appear again reminding him why he can't play
+> the DVD (or whatever).
+> 
+> Face it: we do not have any other choice but leave it at the user's
+> decision. All we can do is make it simple if he chooses to bite the
+> bullet.
+
+Wolfgang,
+
+Well done. Even I understood that.
+
+Mageia, as a foundation, will be separated form legal proceedings by passing 
+the burden of the decision to the end user, as a flexible way of 
+acknowledging that laws are not the same everywhere, and the end-user will 
+(should) be better informed than an automated script of what is allowed and 
+not. And if the end user decides to "break the law", it is the end user's 
+responsibility.
+
+Salut,
+Sinner
+
+