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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/install-fest-devil.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/install-fest-devil.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..730ea38 --- /dev/null +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/install-fest-devil.html @@ -0,0 +1,186 @@ +<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> +<!-- Parent-Version: 1.87 --> +<title>Install Fests - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> + <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/install-fest-devil.translist" --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> +<h2>Install Fests: What to Do about the Deal with the Devil</h2> + +<p>by Richard Stallman</p> + +<blockquote><p>Published for <a href="https://libreplanet.org/2019"> +LibrePlanet March 23/24 2019</a></p></blockquote> + +<p>Install fests invite users to bring their computers so that experts +can install GNU/Linux on them. This is meant to promote the idea of +free software as well as the use of free software. In practice, these +two goals conflict: users that want to reject nonfree software +entirely need to choose their computers carefully to achieve that +goal.</p> + +<p>The problem is that most computers can't run with a completely free +GNU/Linux distro. They contain peripherals, or coprocessors, that +won't operate unless the installed system contains some nonfree drivers or +firmware. This happens because hardware manufacturers refuse to tell +us how to use their products, so that the only way to figure out how +is by reverse engineering, which in most cases has not yet been done.</p> + +<p>This presents the install fest with a dilemma. If it upholds the +ideals of freedom, by installing only free software from +<a href="/distros/distros.html">100%-free distros</a>, partly-secret +machines won't become entirely functional and the users that bring +them will go away disappointed. However, if the install fest installs +nonfree distros and nonfree software which make machines entirely +function, it will fail to teach users to say no for freedom's sake. +They may learn to like GNU/Linux, but they won't learn what the free +software movement stands for. In effect, the install fest makes a +tacit deal with the devil that +suppresses <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">the +free software movement's message about freedom and justice</a>.</p> + +<p>The nonfree software means the user sacrifices freedom for +functionality. If users had to wrestle with this choice, they could +draw a moral lesson from it, and maybe get a better computer later. +But when the install fest makes the compromise on the user's behalf, +it shelters the user from the moral dimension; the user never sees +that something other than convenience is at stake. In effect, the +install fest makes the deal with the devil, on the user's behalf, +behind a curtain so the user doesn't recognize that it is one.</p> + +<p>I propose that the install fest show users exactly what deal they are +making. Let them talk with the devil individually, learn the deal's +bad implications, then make a deal—or refuse!</p> + +<p>As always, I call on the install fest itself to install only free +software, taking a strict stance. In this way it can set a clear +moral example of rejecting nonfree software.</p> + +<p>My new idea is that the install fest could allow the devil to hang +around, off in a corner of the hall, or the next room. (Actually, a +human being wearing sign saying “The Devil,” and maybe a toy mask or +horns.) The devil would offer to install nonfree drivers in the +user's machine to make more parts of the computer function, explaining +to the user that the cost of this is using a nonfree (unjust) program.</p> + +<p>The install fest would tolerate the devil's presence but not +officially sponsor the devil, or publicize the devil's availability. +Therefore, the users who accept the devil's deal would clearly see +that the devil installed the nonfree drivers, not the install fest. +The install fest would not be morally compromised by the devil's +actions, so it could retain full moral authority when it talks about +the imperative for freedom.</p> + +<p>Those users that get nonfree drivers would see what their moral cost +is, and that there are people in the community who refuse to pay that +cost. They would have the chance to reflect afterwards on the +situation that their flawed computers have put them in, and about how +to change that situation, in the small and in the large.</p> + +<p>The install fest should offer advice to users that would like to +replace some of the machine's components with alternatives that do +support free software, and recommend commercial and noncommercial +sources of assistance including fsf.org/resources/hw for getting a +computer that works fully without nonfree drivers and blobs.</p> + +<p>It should also suggest to these users that they send letters of +criticism to the companies that make or sell the components that +depend on nonfree software to function.</p> + +<p>The install-fest devil has nothing to do with the cute BSD demon, and +the install fest should make that very clear. This issue concerns the +difference between various GNU/Linux distros, and is not about BSD. +Indeed, the same approach could be used for installation of BSD.</p> + +<p>This devil would be a human being disguised to teach a moral lesson +with a theatrical metaphor, so let's not take the metaphor too far. I +think we would do well not to say that users are “selling their souls” +if they install nonfree software—rather, part of their own freedom +is what they forfeit. We don't need to exaggerate to teach the point +that trading your freedom for convenience (and leading others to do +the same) is +<a href="https://www.fsfla.org/circular/2007-02.en.html#1"> +putting yourself in a moral jam</a>.</p> + +<p>The devil's work would be something I don't approve of—installing +nonfree software—so I will not get involved in discussing the +practical details. But it is hard to trust a devil to do wrong only +within certain limits. What is to stop the devil from offering to +install a GNU/Linux distro such as Ubuntu, which offers the user other +attractive nonfree programs, not solely the ones needed for the +machine's hardware to function at all? Or even offering to install +Windows? The people who run the install fest should ask some users +what the devil did to their computers.</p> + +<p>Isn't it morally better if the install fest doesn't allow the devil? +Certainly! The FSF will not let a devil hang around its events. But +given the fact that most install fests quietly play the role of the +devil, I think that an explicit devil would be less bad. It would +convert the install-fest dilemma from a debilitating contradiction +into a teaching experience. Users would be able to get, if they +insist, the nonfree drivers to make their peripherals run, then use +GNU/Linux knowing that there is a further step toward freedom that +they should take.</p> + +</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> +<div id="footer"> +<div class="unprintable"> + +<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to +<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. +There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> +the FSF. Broken links and other corrections or suggestions can be sent +to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> + +<p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, + replace it with the translation of these two: + + We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality + translations. 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