FSF-Approved gNewSense 2.0 Released

An anonymous reader writes "gNewSense DeltaH (2.0), a second major release of a GNU/Linux distribution with focus on freedom, has just been released. It is based on Ubuntu 8.04 which was released less than week ago. gNewSense is one of the few GNU/Linux distributions listed as free by the GNU Project."

I guess I need to RTFA

[Nursie]

But what's the point?

Debian is properly free, in the sense the gNewSense is. Ubuntu is based on debian, gobuntu is ubuntu's free version, why does gNewsense need to exist?

Or does it address some other need, and freedom is just a side-effect?

naming

[Speare]

The first thing that came to my mind, and another AC at -1 noted it, is that "gNewSense" must be pronounced "gee, nuisance" or just "nuisance." I can't decide if GIMP or Nuisance wins the prize for most useless name. I'm not saying go through a formal focus group process, but if it's a project worth spending a little time on, isn't it worth a name that doesn't have unsavory connotations? Just ask four friends (vocally) whether a name just sounds vaguely nonsensical or might be misunderstood as something else.

Re:And why do we need another Distro?

[MightyYar]

You are right, but there is one point that I don't think you considered: paying someone to fix a bug or add a feature.

If you have 20 PCs in your office and they all have "free" drivers for their video cards, then you can always pay someone to fix any bugs that come up - and it might even be worth the money depending on how many computers you have with the same card.

Good luck trying to pay nvidia to fix their driver.

Re:In otherwords

[just_another_sean]

Doing stupid things like renaming Firefox to IceWeezel to because of silly trademark issues, is just dumb

I thought they did this because the Mozilla people said they had to if they wanted to include patches that hadn't been approved thru Mozilla? But then I didn't follow this that closely, so maybe I misunderstood something...

No you followed it just fine, that's exactly why they did it Being able to patch software independent of the original developer is a core component of Free Software and Debian GNU/Linux is a great example of Free Software.

Personally I do enjoy the freedom that FSF and distros like Debian and gNewSense provide. No one is holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to use them though.

There will always be Ubuntu, Linspire, Mepis and other distros that provide non-free crutches to those that need them.

The GP has all the choice they need to run a free or non-free system when it comes to Linux (or any OS for that matter). I guess they just couldn't resist the chance to bash the FSF.

Me, I prefer GNU/Linux but the field is large and level and if others choose something else there are plenty of options available to everyone.

Re:In otherwords

[fsmunoz]

Do you even *know* the details on the Firefox/Iceweasel decision? What is your suggestion to the issue then?

The path of "ideology" is what allows people to have something that works and bitch about lack of "pragmatism". If not by those silly people following their "ideology" you would not be complaining about how you would "prefer" to see non-GNU vresions (apparently, just "because", no real reason).

Your comments about licencing don't make much sense either, no you cry about "choice". There is plenty of choice. gNewSense is a choice. Debian is a choice. RedHat is a choice. Running Windows Vista or OSX is a choice. I don't really understand what you're really complaining about.