Home page > Debian > Voluntering

Voluntering

Wednesday 27 January 2010, by Toots

For those who wonder why Debian is and should remain a voluntary-driven project, here are some insights...

I hope I will never read this in a Debian mailing list:

Why? I am pursuing this change because Debian has negotiated a revenue sharing deal with XXXXX

I have nothing against ubuntu and I think it is a great distro. However, I believe that decisions like this go strongly against the principle of free software as we consider, in particular when it comes to putting the user first and not some cash deal.

Forcing the user to choose for something because the company gave money for that is totally again this to me.

9 Forum messages

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 16:36 , by bcx

    You would be right if ubuntu was forcing the user to choose for something. They are not. They are merely changing a default setting.

    I’d like to turn this discussion around:
    Why isn’t debian making some pocket money on it’s default settings? Are debian developers’ principles cheating the user out of extra developer time? I’m assuming firefox in debian has a default searchengine set too.

    Reply to this message

    • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 20:26 , by Paul Johnson

      That wrongly assumes that most users of desktop environments "for the rest of us" change their defaults, ever.

      Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 16:39 , by Kumar Appaiah

    Romain,

    My views are very much in line with yours, but can’t the users still switch the search engine easily themselves? Of course, if it is the fact that the default choice is made by Canonical that bothers you, I understand.

    Kumar

    Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 16:44 , by glandium

    On the other hand, the reason Google is and has been the default search engine in Debian’s equivalent of Firefox is because Mozilla has a revenue sharing deal with Google.

    Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 16:56 , by stefan

    You would be right, if it really was a "forcing". The user is not forced to use a particular search engine. The user is free to choose. Just as before.
    The question is: how to choose a default search engine? Is it better to go for the search engine that gives the best results? That’s not the argumentation that is used for example with drivers. If there is a proprietary driver for a hardware, it is not included in debian, even if it gives the better user experience. So no: debian is NOT putting the user first. Actually it is quite the opposite...

    So is it bad to say: this company gives us money (that we can use to develop free software / support free software development) so we use their product as a default? I don’t think so. At least it is not worse than just using any other (proprietary) default...

    Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 17:06

    I think that it is not bad if a company makes commercial agreements with other companies. I think that Canonical can do what they want as long as they respect Free Software rules (let the user choose). If it is not the best for their users... they should think to change distribution.

    I agree with you and I prefer a voluntary-driven project and freedom over good-looking and even over some features, that’s why I choose Debian.

    Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 17:52

    This about changing a the default search engine in Mozilla, from Google to Yahoo. There’s not much difference between Mozilla getting money from Google for doing one choice (it’s the case) and Ubuntu getting money from Yahoo for changing that choice.

    Reply to this message

  • Voluntering Le 27 January 2010 à 22:24 , by charonb.66

    Maybe debian may use a more free search engine, one using AGPL software if there is one. That’s what i think is closer to the debian way.
    I don’t see way using yahoo as default should force the users. For sure more people will be using yahoo, witch is good service IMHO. Also differentating searches over different service providers should be good.

    Reply to this message

  • Evidence Le 28 January 2010 à 03:03

    Do you have any evidence about the number of Debian contributors that are volunteers and the number that are paid to work on Debian? I’m sure there are many that are paid to work on Debian.

    Reply to this message

Reply to this article