About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

ck74 · 2009-02-28 23:49:23

Hello!

Could someone please clarify "Freedom" part "The Arch Way" mentioned in "http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way" address?

Actually, what confused me is that Wiki mentions about flexibility to ie; licenses... And i would like to know whether "Arch Core" contains ONLY open-source-software --- which means comes with full of source code - including drivers.

Though i'm a newbie to Arch (just started to download), i know the difference between "Free Software" as "Free Software Foundation" describes and "Open Source Software" as "Open Source Initiative" describes.

PS: I use *BSD and checking Linux alternatives.

Thank you in advance.

Alxe · 2009-03-01 00:13:00

I think it means that you can do whatever you want with your Arch, meaning that you can customize it in everyway, giving it different applications, different DEs/WMs, tweaking configuration files, etc.
Also if you come from BSD, you should know that the init-scripts are in a BSD way, or that's what I heard, too I'm a newbie, as well

ck74 · 2009-03-01 00:26:20

>Also if you come from BSD, you should know that the init-scripts are in a BSD way, or that's what I heard, too smile I'm a newbie, as well big_smile

Well, this is one of the reasom im interested in Arch... just wanted to know whether its core is pure OSS.

Mr.Elendig · 2009-03-01 00:38:06

ck74 wrote:

Hello!
Could someone please clarify "Freedom" part "The Arch Way" mentioned in "http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way" address?
Actually, what confused me is that Wiki mentions about flexibility to ie; licenses... And i would like to know whether "Arch Core" contains ONLY open-source-software --- which means comes with full of source code - including drivers.
Though i'm a newbie to Arch (just started to download), i know the difference between "Free Software" as "Free Software Foundation" describes and "Open Source Software" as "Open Source Initiative" describes.
PS: I use *BSD and checking Linux alternatives.
Thank you in advance.

Arch, for good and bad, is not a completely free operating system, and it probably never will be. Eg we don't ship linux-libre as the default kernel, and have non-free software in the repositories.

(I'm talking about free as in freedom, as FSF describes it)

Anyway, freedom in part 5 of the arch way, points to the freedom of the user. You are not 'forced' to use arch in a set way, or with a set collection of tools. It's a 'do/use whatever you like' distro. Imo the first and last line of that section describes it the best:

Another guiding principle of Arch Linux development is freedom. The users are not only permitted to make all decisions concerning system configuration, but also get to choose what their system will *be*.
...
As Judd Vinet, the founder of the Arch Linux project said: "[Arch Linux] is what you make it."

Edit: Afaik, all the software in core is either open source(yuck) or free software. You can get all the sources here.

Edit2: with some rather simple steps, then you can make arch almost 100% free software (fsf style), or you can turn it into something as bad as mac os.

Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2009-03-01 00:44:20)

ck74 · 2009-03-01 00:46:46

So, which means Arch core contains only FS and OSS ones while it doesn't use libre kernel... non-free softwares are in repositories.

Thanks for info.

Mr.Elendig · 2009-03-01 01:27:29

ck74 wrote:

So, which means Arch core contains only FS and OSS ones while it doesn't use libre kernel... non-free softwares are in repositories.
Thanks for info.

I did some digging and there are a few none-F/OSS packages in core. Mainly the ipw2100/2200 firmware packages.

Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2009-03-01 01:29:29)

Alxe · 2009-03-01 10:08:19

I suppose nvidia graphic drivers are the same (non-free)?

Vintendo · 2009-03-01 10:21:41

There in extra

Ranguvar · 2009-03-01 18:46:46

The official ones are non-free, but the nv and nouveau (and vesa, if you count that) drivers are free.

skottish · 2009-03-01 19:02:27

WordNet wrote:

freedom
n 1: the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or
think without externally imposed restraints

Arch Linux

#1 2009-02-28 23:49:23

About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#2 2009-03-01 00:13:00

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#3 2009-03-01 00:26:20

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#4 2009-03-01 00:38:06

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#5 2009-03-01 00:46:46

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#6 2009-03-01 01:27:29

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#7 2009-03-01 10:08:19

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#8 2009-03-01 10:21:41

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#9 2009-03-01 18:46:46

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

#10 2009-03-01 19:02:27

Re: About "The Arch Way" --- freedom?

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