|| On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:49:35 +0100 (CET) || "Alfred M. Szmidt" ams@gnu.org wrote:
ams> It is _very_ different, a notebook works without non-free ams> software. These devices do not.
Exactly. You explained very well why the situations are different.
Notebooks now work with Free Software after people got them while Free Software was not running on them and made Free Software run.
Embedded devices are behind in terms of freedom compared to notebooks.
ams> That is exactly what people are being told right now with the ams> FSFE distributing this device to fellows.
Getting your hands on hardware that you want to run Free Software on, even if you have to buy these devices, is the only practical way to get Free Software to run on them.
ams> But giving them away you are indeed recommending them, a message ams> stating that you are not does not change the fact.
What you state as fact is an allegation based on disregard of stated intention. But intention is central for recommendations, and the recommendation here is very clearly and expressedly that these devices should *not* be seen as devices that are good enough.
So what you may have meant to say is that FSFE is setting a bad example if it passes on hardware to people who want to set it free.
Regards, Georg