Re: [school-discuss] Britannica

[Bruno Coudoin <bruno.coudoin@free.fr>]

Le mer 29/05/2002 à 18:14, Doug Loss a écrit :
> Ben Armstrong wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, May 29, 2002 at 09:38:50AM -0400, Jim Thomas wrote:
> > > I can see no problem with writing an open-source EB reader.  It would
> > > really be no different from QGeo which will render content from the
> > > National Geographic CDs.  The only way EB could "pull the plug" would be
> > > to change the format of the content, and they certainly wouldn't do that
> > > to kill linux support for their product.  It's in their best interest to
> > > have a linux-enabled app to read their content.  Having an open source
> > > reader does not require free content.
> >
> > That's quite a different kettle of fish.  I'd have no objections
> > contributing to an open source project to develop a reader that just happens
> > to also read non-free content.
> 
> Doug says:
> This is what I'm trying to promote.  I don't particularly care who develops (or
> how they do it) an application that allows EB, WB, Grolier, or any other
> encyclopedia CDs to be read.  I just know that something like this needs to be
> available for Linux for it to be more easily selectable for school use.
> 
Doug, I am sory to tell you but we really need to care about who make
the work, what is the licence, how much it cost, who get paid. 
These are all part of the equation. Saying I want the app now on Linux
at any prices, any compromize brings us not much far.
Ultimatly, if you need this app and accept proprietary applications,
just stick to windows ;)

Now I agree that it can happen we have to run a proprietary app on linux
to go forward, but working for free on a proprietary tool to achieve
that is a giant step in the wrong direction. 

If we have brains to work on that, it is better to make them work on a
free alternatives now instead of later when this tool will be too far in
advance

Bruno.