Home Messages Index
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index

Re: [News] Fedora 12 Out in December (Without Mono)

On 2009-06-21, Rob Schwenk <rschwenk00@xxxxxxxxx> claimed:
> Tim Smith wrote:
>
>> In article <iqkvg6xtal.ln2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>>  Jerry McBride <jmcbride@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> 
>>> What? No mono???? I'll be certain to buy a copy... Although my
>>> favorite distribution is Gentoo, I always support the other
>>> distributions...  especially when they do something smart, like
>>> dumping mono....
>>
>> It has Mono.  All that's changing is the reason that its not on the
>> live CD.
>>
>> Fedora 10: They wanted to include a note app, but did not have room for 
>> Tomboy and Mono, so Mono was not on the live CD. It was in the 
>> repository, so could be installed later.
>>
>> Fedora 11: Same as 10.
>>
>> Fedora 12: There is room for GNote, so they can now add a note app
>>to the live CD. No change in Mono--still available in the repository,
>>just like 11 and 10.
>
> FWN/Issue180
>
><http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FWN/LatestIssue#What_is_the_official_Fedora_policy_on_Mono.3F>
>
><quote>
> What is the official Fedora policy on Mono?
>
> Arthur Pemberton asked: "Fedora traditionally holds fairly strict
> guidelines for inclusion of software, and the pursuit of Free
> Software. As such I consider their decisions on such things to be
> quite important. With that in mind, I would like to ask: what is the
> official Fedora policy on Mono? Specifically in terms to its FOSS
> nature and legality."
>
> Paul W Frields, Fedora Project Leader responds:
>
> Until certain ambiguities such as those concerning Mono's patent
> licensing and redistribution are resolved, there is no formal policy
> that I'm aware of. We have concerns which are being researched, and
> any official policy would likely come through Fedora Legal and the
> Fedora Engineering Steering Committee. The substitution of Gnote for
> Tomboy on the Desktop Live image and in the default installation for
> Fedora 12 reduces package load in the standard Fedora Desktop Live
> image, but for now Mono remains in the Fedora repositories.
></quote>

I'm not sure what the point is supposed to be. I don't recall anyone
saying mono should go away. There are probably some people that I
missed, though. Some people think it should be all or nothing rather
than grant each person the freedom to decide that for themselves. I
don't subscribe to that thought, nor do I recall anyone expressing it
that way here.

What I have seen is complaints about it being injected into
distributions as part of an install, and incorporation into more and
more things that could be done differently. I have complained about
that one myself. I know I've seen the same sentiment from others.

If they want to make it available, OK by me. If they want to put it in
the default installation, I'll pass. Plus I don't think it's right to
make it default for new users who may not be aware it's in there, and
may not even understand what the hubbub is about. That second part is
exactly what the monopoly finds most desirable, assuming they really do
have sinister plans to undermine FOSS via this mess.

I don't claim to know what Microscum plans in that regard. But given
their history, as well as the still open, unsettled questions about
licensing, I don't want to take any chances. And I don't think it's
right for distributions forcing it on people unaware.

I believe Timmy was only trying to troll, making a distinction that
really isn't a distinction. Fedora will be mono-free. As a default. If
anyone wants it (why they would, God only knows) they have the liberty
of an easy download. IMHO that's as it should be.

What he *did* successfully explain, though, is that mono added bloat,
and made it less likely that other things could fit in the available
space due to the sheer size of the crap those things may depend on.
That's assuming what Timmy claims above is true. I haven't checked
that. I don't care enough to bother looking it up.

-- 
Lady Luck brings some income today. Lady friend takes it away
tonight.

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index