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Ubuntu Software Center Criticized For Mixing Free and Non-Free Software

Posted by Soulskill on from the don't-cross-the-streams dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Tony Mobily has been watching the evolution of the Ubuntu Software Center for quite a while now. He had doubts about its interface and its speed, but liked the fact that it offered an easy, down-to-earth interface that allowed users to install software conveniently. However, the evolution of USC is worrying him a lot. Mobily is against confusing proprietary software with non-proprietary software, which USC seems to be doing. USC plays an important role — especially for newbie users, who can use it to discover new software more readily than via the package management system. But is there room for improvement?

8 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Tony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Tony? Who the fuck is Tony?

    1. Re:Tony by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Tony? Who the fuck is Tony?

      The anonymous coward who posted this story, of course.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
  2. Cry me a river. by Great+Big+Bird · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Most people don't care. Specifically: Most people just want to be able to get work done, they don't care about your moral highchair.

    1. Re:Cry me a river. by tonymercmobily · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You are assuming that I have a problem with people using proprietary software.

      What I *DO* have a problem with, is a program that mixes the free software I write with proprietary software, in the same screens, with the same "free" tag attached to it. As an _author_ who spent close to three years developing free software, I DO care. I think there are good reasons why I should care.

      Of course it's their choice to do that. But I can at least point out that, as a free software author, I feel that what they are doing is not ideal.

    2. Re:Cry me a river. by Wee · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I also write free software. And I have a software patent. I could not possibly care in the slightest if software is free. If it does the job, that's all that matters.

      Removing non-free software from the USC is removing user's choices, and thinking for users by imposing your moral/political code on them. That's presumptuous and wrong.

      Let the users choose what they want to use. The free stuff is there. If they care, they can use it. If not, they have more choices.

      -B

      --

      Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.

    3. Re:Cry me a river. by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You can't "withdraw" free software. Duh. It's free, people can use and distribute it as it pleases them (according to the limitations of the free license you released it under).

      --
      My first program:

      Hell Segmentation fault

  3. It's an outrage! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    How *dare* someone think about how useful a program is for the user!

    Free Software is not about being useful, Free Software is about pushing an ideological viewpoint onto people. Anything that gets in the way of proselytizing our particular viewpoint is anathema, and should be burned at the stake.

    By the way, have you taken GNU into your heart and accepted RMS as your computational savior? Here, have a free KDevelop 3.0 Bible, and feel free to make copies and give it to your friends.

  4. Its time to bring more commercial SW to Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Its time for linux to get over the "free software" hang up. Its blocking adoption of the system by a larger audience.

    Guess what. Most people want something that works, and most of them are willing to pay for it.

    I like the USC because I am able to find software I actually will use and install it without too much pain. Installing proprietary software on Linux is too difficult and is hindering adoption. I want things like Minecraft. Crash plan, Steam, etc. And I want them to work.

    I guess thats why the Ubuntu machine is only my server. The Mac does the heavy lifting for computing in the house. Why? Because it just works. It always works. I don't have to fuck with it when I need to accomplish something.

    I am staring to think the FOSS community doesn't ever need to accomplish something. Because I guarantee doing ANYTHING takes longer on Linux. And time is money.