GNU bug report logs - #48023
download.html has better instructions for non-free systems

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From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: rms <at> gnu.org
Cc: 48023 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#48023: download.html has better instructions for non-free systems
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2021 17:30:46 -0500

Richard Stallman <rms <at> gnu.org> writes:

> But there is a wrinkle to deal with.
>
>   > - Debian/Ubuntu
>   > - Fedora/RedHat
>   > - Arch Linux
>   > - OpenSUSE
>   > - GNU Guix
>
> Of all those, the only one that is a free distro is GNU Guix.
> The others are nonfree distros that we don't want to promote.

I don't understand this given that we are fine with mentioning Windows
and macOS.

> We could describe Trisquel, and say that the nonfree distros Debian
> and Ubuntu are similar.
>
> We could describe Parabola and Hyperbola, and say that Arch GNU/Linux
> is similar.
>
> Are there free distros (see https://gnu.org/distros/) that are
> lile Fedora and OpenSUSE?

Is the below acceptable?

In comparison to the old page, it actively discourages using
distributions that GNU and/or FSF thinks are "non-free".  IOW, if I
agreed with your position, I think I would be more happy with it.  But
of course you would know better than me.

(The old page simply dodged the issue, which seems less than ideal.)


--- download.html.~1.23.~	2021-04-26 03:34:59.821526101 +0200
+++ download.html	2021-04-26 23:14:32.913860136 +0200
@@ -66,6 +66,74 @@
                         way to install Emacs unless you always want to use the
                         latest release.</p>

+                    <p>Some GNU/Linux distributions recommend nonfree
+                      software. We cannot recommend their use, see
+                      <a
href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html">
+                        Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems</a>.</p>
+
+
+                    <!-- NOTE: We want to be very restrictive with adding more
+                    distributions to this list, as it is a maintenance burden.
+                    The distributions below can be removed at any time.  -->
+
+
+                    <h3>Debian and derivatives</h3>
+
+                    <p>
+                      We do not recommend using this GNU/Linux
distribution and some of
+                      its derivatives (including Ubuntu and Linux
Mint), as they
+                      <a
href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html">
+                        include nonfree components and firmware</a>.
+
+                      We recommend using the Debian-based and fully free
+                      <a href="https://trisquel.info/">Trisquel GNU/Linux</a>
+                      instead.
+                    </p>
+
+                    <pre>sudo apt-get install emacs</pre>
+
+
+                    <h3>Arch</h3>
+
+                    <p>
+                      We do not recommend using this GNU/Linux
distribution, as it
+                      <a
href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html">
+                        includes nonfree components and firmware</a>.
+
+                      We recommend using the Arch-based and fully free
+                      <a href="https://www.hyperbola.info/">Hyperbola
GNU/Linux-libre</a> or
+                      <a href="https://www.parabola.nu/">Parabola
GNU/Linux-libre</a>
+                      instead.
+                    </p>
+
+                    <pre>sudo pacman -S emacs</pre>
+
+
+                    <h3>Fedora and Redhat</h3>
+
+                    <p>We do not recommend using these GNU/Linux
distributions, as they
+                      <a
href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html">
+                        include nonfree components and firmware</a>.</p>
+
+                    <pre>sudo dnf install emacs</pre>
+
+
+                    <h3>OpenSUSE</h3>
+
+                    <p>We do not recommend using this GNU/Linux
distribution, as it
+                      <a
href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html">
+                        includes nonfree components and firmware</a>.</p>
+
+                    <pre>sudo zypper install emacs</pre>
+
+
+                    <h3>GNU Guix</h3>
+
+                    <pre>guix package -i emacs</pre>
+
+
+                    <h3>Building from source</h3>
+
                     <p>You can download GNU Emacs releases from a
                         <a
href="http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/emacs/">nearby GNU mirror</a>;
                         or if automatic redirection does not work see
the list of

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