Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:19:07 +1000 From: Jonathan Gray <jsg@goblin.cx> To: "Greg 'groggy' Lehey" <grog@FreeBSD.org> Cc: freebsd-current@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: incorrect statement on www page Message-ID: <20050429071907.GA13459@mail.netspace.net.au> In-Reply-To: <20050429070122.GN70593@wantadilla.lemis.com> References: <20050428154859.GA16433@mail.netspace.net.au> <20050428162322.GE747@empiric.icir.org> <20050429070122.GN70593@wantadilla.lemis.com>
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On Fri, Apr 29, 2005 at 04:31:22PM +0930, Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote: > On Thursday, 28 April 2005 at 17:23:22 +0100, Bruce M Simpson wrote: > > On Fri, Apr 29, 2005 at 01:48:59AM +1000, Jonathan Gray wrote: > >> I came across the following incorrect statement when > >> browsing http://www.freebsd.org > >> > >> "FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with full source code" > >> > >> Sadly I do not think this has been true for some time. > > > > I disagree; the wording isn't misleading. However, to address such concerns, > > it might be better worded as "comes with full source code, and also ships > > with some binary driver components". > > A more accurate statement might be: > > "FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with full source > code. In addition, many third-party drivers are available, some in > source, others in binary-only format". > > The important thing is that the FreeBSD project is not withholding > *any* source code. The only binary-only components are from other > people who don't allow distribution of *their* source. If these binary only components come with FreeBSD they are part of FreeBSD as far as most people are concerned. There are binary components with no publically available source code in FreeBSD, so it is not full source code. Additionally supporting such things hinders progress on acceptable alternatives be they drivers with full source or use of other vendors.
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