[Mageia-dev] Mageia repository sections, licenses, restrictions, firmware etc

[Sinner from the Prairy]

Wolfgang Bornath wrote:

> It's easy to communicate, it's easy to implement fitting even those
> "dumb" users some people are talking about. Yesterday I installed the
> new Ubuntu 10.10, a window opened near the end of the installation
> process telling me that my hardware may need/use a non-free driver
> which is available online. The text explains about the non-free status
> in simple words and then I was asked if I wanted to activate this
> non-free driver.
> The same can be done with all that codec stuff. A window opens,
> telling the user that he will need some special software to listen to
> MP3s, watch his commercial DVDs, etc. The text explains in simple
> words the legal implications which may or may not apply to his
> country. After that he can decide with a simple mouse click on yes or
> no or "ask later" (if he has no working internet connection at that
> time. If he clicks on "activate", the needed software will be
> downloaded and installed. If he clicks on "ask later" he will be asked
> as soon as the script detects a working internet connection.
> If he has selected "No" and still tries to open a commecrial DVD (or
> whatever) the window ill appear again reminding him why he can't play
> the DVD (or whatever).
> 
> Face it: we do not have any other choice but leave it at the user's
> decision. All we can do is make it simple if he chooses to bite the
> bullet.

Wolfgang,

Well done. Even I understood that.

Mageia, as a foundation, will be separated form legal proceedings by passing 
the burden of the decision to the end user, as a flexible way of 
acknowledging that laws are not the same everywhere, and the end-user will 
(should) be better informed than an automated script of what is allowed and 
not. And if the end user decides to "break the law", it is the end user's 
responsibility.

Salut,
Sinner