According to this email (spanish) Ubuntu includes non-free components by default, and users don’t know about this situation.
I’m using Hardy Heron up to date and I wanted to figure out about this potential problem using a useful tool: vrms.
mruiz@numbat:~$ vrms -s
human-icon-theme
linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24-16-generic
linux-restricted-modules-common
linux-restricted-modules-generic
skype
tangerine-icon-theme
unrar
OK… let’s review the results.
linux-restricted-* is part of the restricted section. unrar is from multiverse and skype is a third-party package. But human-icon-theme and tangerine-icon-theme are part of main.
Then, I can assume that Ubuntu includes non-free components by default without inform to their users. Or not ?
EDIT: To be accurate, I changed non-free software by non-free components 
Both of those packages are licensed under CC (by-sa), as is visible here:
http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/t/tangerine-icon-theme/tangerine-icon-theme_0.26/tangerine-icon-theme.copyright
and
http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/h/human-icon-theme/human-icon-theme_0.28/human-icon-theme.copyright
So, if that’s too non-free for you… well, whatever. Those are the facts.
As far as your question, no. These are images and such, not software.
Also, fix your captcha.
Thanks for your comments. I don’t know why vrms shows them as non-free.
I’m trying to fix my spam plugin
I changed software by component to be accurate.
Cheers!
I had never heard of vrms, but after looking it up, I must admit it has the best name of any software ever.
Well the Free Software Foundation does consider CC-BY and CC-BY-SA to be free (at least for version 2). See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#OtherLicenses
But the Debian Project does not consider any CC license to be free. See http://people.debian.org/~evan/ccsummary.html
Some people do not support all the CC licenses because some of them are less then free/fair/open. I think there was a interview a few years back where RMS expressed his feeling regarding this. Also some of the CC licenses have had some issues passing the DFSG.
I guess the creators of VRMS feel the license does not qualify.
Skype is certainly not installed by default; you’ve intalled that yourself. Same is true for unrar. Hypocrisy?
the problem seems to me to be with vrms reporting these packages as ‘non-free’ in the first place. I don’t see what freedom you don’t have with the cc-by-sa license.
CC licenses (or the way they are presented) are vague enough to be considered non-free.
For detailed information about the licensing policy of Ubuntu components, see:
http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/licensing
Is this not old news?? Was there not an outcry some time ago about this very thing?
Hello, that’s why there is gobuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/gobuntu
nuff said.
That has got to be the best name ever invented for a piece of software
Still, I can’t read Spanish but since it’s from an Ubuntu-list I guess he is a Ubuntu-user? If he isn’t, ask yourself why he feel the need to bring it up or why he wasn’t specific in what non-free package was installed by default.
I’m not saying he is wrong, but it’s a matter of perspective. Some people dislike Ubuntu because it makes it too easy to install the non-free stuff regardless of whether it’s there by default or not, and regardless of whether it’s what the users want or not.
I don’t recall Ubuntu ever claiming to be 100% OSS… isn’t that the whole reason they created a totally seperate, 100% OSS version?
Doesn’t Ubuntu include Firefox by default? That’s non-free software.
The Human and Tangerine theme sets are considered non-free, because they can be used in proprietary applications. As Fabian Rodriquez said, they are too vague to be “Free Software” in the strict sense of the word.
Skype and unrar are not installed in Hardy by default. In fact, Skype is not even available in the repositories. You installed those manually yourself.
ALL linux-restricted-modules* do not come from the main repository, but from the restricted and multiverse repositories. Further, it’s no secret that Ubuntu ships with non-free software by default. This is what makes it such a great distro for all sorts of hardware. It Just Works.
Lastly, ONLY software in the main and restricted repositories are installed by default. No software from the universe or multiverse software is installed by default.
as a matter of fact, firefox isn’t 100% free…
http://linuxrevolution.blogspot.com/2006/10/firefox-name-copyright.html
jejeje mruiz, is tata’s bot free software?
Cheers!
@suribe- Yes it is. It just has trademarked images. By the strict sense of the word, Firefox is Free Software, as it adheres to all 4 freedoms found in the GNU philosophy. Just because a piece of software ships with a trademarked image, does not make it non-free software. You have the freedom to remove the image, and recompile the software under a different name, if you wish. Just as the GNUzilla folks have done with IceWeasel.
Further, if we want to get *really* technical, NO computer is 100% Free Software. Things like your BIOS, CDROM and CPU microcode are ALL non-free. While I appreciate the movements of Free Software, we have to be realistic. Further, the software in your cell phone, watch, microwave, television, car, satellite dish, refrigerator, calculator, iPod, and many other appliances is also running non-free software. Give me any GNU/Linux FSF member, and I will point out to you where he/she uses non-free software. It’s time to stop living with your head in the clouds, and start keeping your feet grounded.
imho the funniest thing about vrms is that it will install itself in cron and email you regularly to tell you how much you hate freedom
Aaron- I believe Richard Stallman considers some software to be inseparable from the hardware, or at least unmodifiable because it is part of the hardware. BIOS chips used to be like this, but because of the current ability to flash BIOS chips, the Free Software Foundation supported coreboot (formerly LinuxBIOS).
Of course, if you want to get technical, you can always find problems with any other movements. Furthermore, free software advocates are aware of the fact that a lot of firmware is proprietary. The free software movement is not trying to suddenly remove all proprietary software from the world, but rather shift towards free software by making certain steps.
it would have been good that ubuntu have provided by default a browser….
You make it sound like users care whether the software is non-free. They don’t.
Until Linux loses the copyright paranoia attitude, it will never have any market share. I am glad that Ubuntu includes non-free software by default.
Sounds interesting. Thanks for info .I like You Now! (sounds weird.. should say I follow you Now!.. )
Good read, always on the lookout for free seo software.