[okfn-discuss] non google non microsoft

Fri Nov 29 21:58:39 UTC 2013

Hi Eric, afaik the directory is a list of FSF approved software, that 
is, the code is released under a version of the GNU GPL license. Thus 
the code is reusable under the terms of that license (as in freedom to 
'reuse', study, etc.) The reason that they have this list is probably 
something of a repository / archive of the GNU GPL code, as it is the 
license of the FSF.

Perhaps someone wishes to write a new piece of software and would like 
to study how others have written their code. They can do so by following 
the links in the directory 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_philosophy]. That would be my take on 
the list, but I'm not involved in FSF so as to know for sure, and I 
haven't taken the time to look into it.

I don't think it's meant to be a guide, for example, to find a GMail 
replacement.

Perhaps there are some answers to your question here: 
https://www.eff.org/wp/who-has-your-back-2013

The only other source of information on this that topic that I recall 
reading about is this (see "Leaving Google") 
http://letters.cathalgarvey.me/been-busy/

You could get a fsf email address if you like, if you trusted them :p

On 29/11/13 18:57, Eric Mill wrote:
> That directory is craziness. This is what they list for email software:
>
> http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Category/Email-software
>
> 162 options, listed in alphabetical order with text-only descriptions, 
> and you have to click on a link to see anything past Ba-.
>
> If I'm looking to break out of Gmail, I need several recommendations, 
> with an emphasis on what they look like, how they work, and how 
> painful I can expect my transition to be. I need articles, not 
> directories.
>
> Generally speaking, while I appreciate the FSF and their legal work, 
> I've come to expect very little from them in encouraging the 
> development and proliferation of pleasant, usable free software.
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 29, 2013 at 12:55 PM, Aaron Wolf <wolftune at gmail.com 
> <mailto:wolftune at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     Just want to reinforce: the FSF has a directory and is recruiting
>     help: http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Main_Page
>     Why duplicate their efforts if we can assist them instead?
>
>     --
>

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