Subject: Re: bug#32722: [O] bug#32722: 26.1; Org-publish depend on non-free platform ?

From: Richard Stallman <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2018 21:50:26 -0400

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The crucial question here is whether Mobile.org is free software.  If
it is not, then GNU packages including their documentation should not
mention it at all.  See the chapter References in the GNU Coding
Standards.

What is the source license of Mobile.org?

Does Mobile.org for Android link with any nonfree libraries,
such as Google Play Library?  Is it listed in f-droid.org?

I don't think it is possible to have free apps for the iMonsters.
This is because iOS does not allow users to install modified versions
of apps, even if the app's source is released under a free license.

Another issue is the suggestion to use DropBox.
Normal use of Dropbox involves running nonfree JS software
(see https://gnu.org/philosophy/javascript-trap.html),
so we cannot recommend using Dropbox in the normal way.

If there is a way to use Dropbox (for those operations that are
necessary in this context) without running any nonfree client
software, it would be ok to recommend using Dropbox _in that way_.
(The operations necessary in this context must include creating an
account.)

However, the text you showed me does not include such a specific
recommendation, so we have to eliminate it.  We could reinsert the
discussion of Dropbox if and when someone writes text to recommend a
suitable specific way to use it.

  > [fn:146] An alternative is to use a WebDAV server.  MobileOrg
  > documentation has details of WebDAV server configuration.  Additional
  > help is at this [[https://orgmode.org/worg/org-faq.html#mobileorg_webdav][FAQ entry]].

Is this a way to use MobileOrg without Dropbox?

Is the WebDAV server code free software?  Can you talk to such a
server without any nonfree client software?

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation (https://gnu.org, https://fsf.org)
Internet Hall-of-Famer (https://internethalloffame.org)