Ubuntu "Gutsy Gibbon", the end of GnewSense?

[techieMoe]

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ub...il/000276.html

Mark Shuttleworth announced the new name, and a new plan, for the next version of Ubuntu in a mailing list post. The most interesting thing to me was the proposal for yet another official offshoot of Ubuntu to satisfy the GNU conservatives. This version will lack any "non-free" software and should appease those at the philosophical far end of Linux.

My question is, does this call out a death knell for projects like GnewSense?

[bryansmith]

Is it possible for a project to die if no one really used it/cared for it?

I somehow don't see the FSF stopping development on gNewSense - should they choose to stop, I don't think the FSF will promote Gusty as their choice of Free OS. Don't ask me why...I just get this feeling.

[techieMoe]

Is it possible for a project to die if no one really used it/cared for it?

I somehow don't see the FSF stopping development on gNewSense - should they choose to stop, I don't think the FSF will promote Gusty as their choice of Free OS. Don't ask me why...I just get this feeling.

Yeah, I can see arrogance keeping Gnewsense going. Some folks will inevitably argue that even if Ubuntu "lite" is technically all "free", it still comes from a corporate entity, and therefore is unclean.

[carlosponti]

if these people were really interested in a fully free distro they would just install Debian and ignore its variants. but it probably doesn't hurt to have two versions. Linux mint did that too. for one thing it might make a live cd easier to deal with in certain instances. though the free socialism schism is only going to serve to divide Linux people. as if Linux doesn't already have enough criticism about not being cohesive.

[Vergil83]

Is it possible for a project to die if no one really used it/cared for it?

I somehow don't see the FSF stopping development on gNewSense - should they choose to stop, I don't think the FSF will promote Gusty as their choice of Free OS. Don't ask me why...I just get this feeling.

FSF is not developing gNewSense. It is being created by free software advocates. The FSF is providing webhosting. They are not funding it!

To answer Moe's question, if it is free in the same way gNewSense is, I hope and think they will stop/merge development.

[techieMoe]

if these people were really interested in a fully free distro they would just install Debian and ignore its variants.

Well, you would think that, but the creators of GnewSense said that wasn't good enough. Quoting their site:

3. Aren't Ubuntu/Debian already free?

Neither Debian nor Ubuntu are fully free. Ubuntu installs non-free software by default. Debian provides non-free software through its repositories and includes non-free kernel drivers.

So you see, no matter what there's always someone just a bit more fanatical out there.

though the free socialism schism is only going to serve to divide Linux people. as if Linux doesn't already have enough criticism about not being cohesive.

Agreed on that point.

[techieMoe]

I guess I should have read the article I posted a little more carefully. Someone on the Gnewsense Forum brought to my attention a paragraph with a very important statement I missed (emphasis mine):

The Glossy Gnu will nonetheless play a role in this next release, because Ubuntu 7.10 will feature a new flavour - as yet unnamed - which takes an ultra-orthodox view of licensing: no firmware, drivers, imagery, sounds, applications, or other content which do not include full source materials and come with full rights of modification, remixing and redistribution. There should be no more conservative home, for those who demand a super-strict interpretation of the "free" in free software. This work will be done in collaboration with the folks behind Gnewsense.