On Dec 13, 2007 2:52 PM, Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:
quoted text
> If OpenBSD could spin off the ports system (perhaps people could put
> it on the Pirate Bay), and break off connection with it, then it would
> cease to convey any message from OpenBSD to the users.  Then I could
> recommend OpenBSD while not recommending its ports system.  Currently,
> that option does not exist.
>

I have OpenBSD running on my machine, but I do not use the ports tree.
Therefore the option of having OpenBSD without ports exists. You could
still recommend OpenBSD except for its ports tree.

I realise, though, that the reason for you recommending something or
not is rather subjective and discussing it usually doesn't lead to
anything useful. What I oppose is to say that OpenBSD "recomends"
nonfree software.

When you say "OpenBSD recommends non-free software" it leads people to
think that the project tries to convince people to use non-free
software. That's not true at all. The project doesn't support it and
it doesn't try to tell the user he should use it. OpenBSD's port
system merely acknolowdges the existence of non-free software and
makes it easier for the people who chose to install it. That's hardly
recommendation. Moreover, and this is subjective highly subjective, I
think we all should try to make people's life easier and acknowledge
others efforts, even if we think differently. Letting people maintain
non-free packages is giving space to people who think differently than
the OpenBSD developers. And that's a positive thing.