diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'src')
-rw-r--r-- | src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt | 55 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | src/SW/is-android-free/document.it.rest.txt | 58 | ||||
l--------- | src/SW/is-android-free/du2html.xsl | 1 | ||||
l--------- | src/tags/rant/base-feed.tt | 1 | ||||
l--------- | src/tags/rant/document-listing.tt | 1 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | src/tags/rant/document.en.rest.tt | 7 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | src/tags/rant/document.it.rest.tt | 7 | ||||
l--------- | src/tags/rant/du2html.xsl | 1 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | src/tags/rant/feed.en.tt | 1 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | src/tags/rant/feed.it.tt | 1 | ||||
l--------- | src/tags/rant/fillFeed.xsl | 1 |
11 files changed, 134 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cff3242 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +============================= + Is Android “free software”? +============================= +:CreationDate: 2009-09-17 10:59:01 +:Id: SW/is-android-free +:tags: - software + - rant + +A couple of months ago, I bought a `Samsung Galaxy (I7500) phone`_; it +runs a version of the Android_ environment. I'm reasonably happy with +it: it works as a phone, it allows me to stay connected when I'm not +at home, and developing applications for it does not seem too hard. + +I have a big gripe, though: I can't touch the OS. + +No, I don't mean "I don't have ``root`` access": I know how to get it, +and I even pretty much agree with the whole «make it as hard as +possible for users (or malicious software) to brick the phone». + +What I mean is this: I have the (purported) `source code of the +Android system`_, from the Linux kernel up to the various +applications. But I can't do anything useful with it: I don't have the +"corresponding source", to use GPLv3_ terminology. There is no way for +me to rebuild the exact same system image that is running on my +phone. The FSF_ says that the `Apache license version 2.0`_ is a +"`free software license, compatible with version 3 of the GPL`_", but +it's apparently possible to release a set of programs under it, and +have the resulting collection not meet the `free software +definition`_: I can't actually run the program! + +OK, I can run it on the emulator. I say that's not good +enough. Samsung has given me a binary copy of their Android +version. According to the license, they are in no obligation to give +me the source code. How can I call this "free software"? + +As an aside, the reason I started this rant is this: there are a few +features that I would like to change (e.g. add support for OpenVPN_ to +the nexus_ program; add the ability to change input language for each +input box, independently from the system locale). Since I can't +actually benefit from those changes (I can't build a new Samsung image +with my modifications, and use it), and I don't have any assurance as +to when they will arrive on my phone (assuming they are accepted in +the Android platform), why should I even attempt to make them? + +.. _`Samsung Galaxy (I7500) phone`: +.. _Android: http://www.android.com/ +.. _`source code of the Android system`: http://source.android.com/ +.. _GPLv3: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html +.. _FSF: http://www.fsf.org/ +.. _`Apache license version 2.0`: http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 +.. _`free software license, compatible with version 3 of the GPL`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/#apache2 +.. _`free software definition`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html +.. _OpenVPN: http://www.openvpn.net/ +.. _nexus: http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/core.git;a=tree;f=nexus;h=5ac2cb9f0cee2394fa2d070d3df309090e222828;hb=refs/heads/donut + diff --git a/src/SW/is-android-free/document.it.rest.txt b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.it.rest.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bfdc409 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.it.rest.txt @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ +============================== + Android è “software libero”? +============================== +:CreationDate: 2009-09-17 10:59:01 +:Id: SW/is-android-free +:tags: - software + - rant + +Un paio di mesi fa ho comprato un telefono Samsung Galaxy (I7500), su +cui gira una versione dell'ambiente Android_. Sono abbastanza +contento: fa il telefono, me permette di rimanere presente in Rete +anche quando non sono a casa, e svilupparci applicazioni non sembra +tanto complicato. + +Una cosa, però, mi infastidisce tantissimo: non posso toccare il +sistema operativo. + +No, non voglio dire "non ho accesso come ``root``": so come ottenerlo, +e sono pure abbastanza d'accordo con la storia del «rendiamo più +difficile possibile agli utenti (e a software malintenzionato) +rovinare il telefono». + +Quel che voglio dire è: io ho il `codice sorgente del sistema +Android`_ (almeno così dicono), dal kernel Linux fino alle varie +applicazioni. Ma non posso farci nulla di utile: non ho il "sorgente +corrispondente", per dirla con la GPLv3_. Non ho alcun modo di +compilare la stessa immagine di sistema che sta girando sul mio +telefono. La FSF_ dice che la `licenza Apache versione 2.0`_ è `una +licenza libera, compatibile con la GPL versione 3`_, ma apparentemente +è possibile rilasciare un insieme di programmi sotto tale licenza, ma +fare in modo che la loro combinazione non rispetti da `definizione di +software libero`_: non posso eseguire i programmi! + +Ok, posso eseguirli nell'emulatore. Non è abbastanza. Samsung mi ha +dato una copia binaria della loro versione di Android. Secondo i +termini della licenza, non hanno alcun obbligo di darmi i +sorgenti. Come si fa a chiamare questo “software libero”? + +Nota a margine, il motivo per cui inveisco è: ci sono alcune funzioni +che vorrei cambiare (es. aggiungere il supporto OpenVPN_ al programma +nexus_; o aggiungere la possibilità di cambiare la lingua di +inserimento per ciascun campo, indipendentemente dal "locale" di +sistema). Visto che non posso trarre vantaggio dalle mie modifiche +(non posso costruire un'immagine Samsung con i miei cambiamenti, e +usarla), e non ho nessuna garanzia di quando potrebbero arrivare sul +mio telefono (anche assumendo che venissero accettate in Android), +perché mai dovrei mettermi a farle? + +.. _Android: http://www.android.com/ +.. _`codice sorgente del sistema Android`: http://source.android.com/ +.. _GPLv3: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html +.. _FSF: http://www.fsf.org/ +.. _`licenza Apache versione 2.0`: http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 +.. _`una licenza libera, compatibile con la GPL versione 3`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/#apache2 +.. _`definizione di software libero`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html +.. _OpenVPN: http://www.openvpn.net/ +.. _nexus: http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/core.git;a=tree;f=nexus;h=5ac2cb9f0cee2394fa2d070d3df309090e222828;hb=refs/heads/donut + diff --git a/src/SW/is-android-free/du2html.xsl b/src/SW/is-android-free/du2html.xsl new file mode 120000 index 0000000..e2487e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/SW/is-android-free/du2html.xsl @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../../../templates/du2html.xsl
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/src/tags/rant/base-feed.tt b/src/tags/rant/base-feed.tt new file mode 120000 index 0000000..adac363 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/base-feed.tt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../../../templates/base-feed.tt
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/src/tags/rant/document-listing.tt b/src/tags/rant/document-listing.tt new file mode 120000 index 0000000..88c3968 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/document-listing.tt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../../../templates/document-listing.tt
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/src/tags/rant/document.en.rest.tt b/src/tags/rant/document.en.rest.tt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a681e45 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/document.en.rest.tt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ +======= + Rants +======= +:CreationDate: 2009-09-17 10:59:01 +:feed: + +[% PROCESS 'document-listing.tt' %] diff --git a/src/tags/rant/document.it.rest.tt b/src/tags/rant/document.it.rest.tt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e74792 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/document.it.rest.tt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ +=========== + Invettive +=========== +:CreationDate: 2009-09-17 10:59:01 +:feed: + +[% PROCESS 'document-listing.tt' %] diff --git a/src/tags/rant/du2html.xsl b/src/tags/rant/du2html.xsl new file mode 120000 index 0000000..e2487e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/du2html.xsl @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../../../templates/du2html.xsl
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/src/tags/rant/feed.en.tt b/src/tags/rant/feed.en.tt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7b7730 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/feed.en.tt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +[% INCLUDE 'base-feed.tt' %] diff --git a/src/tags/rant/feed.it.tt b/src/tags/rant/feed.it.tt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7b7730 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/feed.it.tt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +[% INCLUDE 'base-feed.tt' %] diff --git a/src/tags/rant/fillFeed.xsl b/src/tags/rant/fillFeed.xsl new file mode 120000 index 0000000..ad8d15a --- /dev/null +++ b/src/tags/rant/fillFeed.xsl @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../../../templates/fillFeed.xsl
\ No newline at end of file |