PB wrote:
HOWEVER: What should one do now?
Let's imagine a conversation where I encounter people, tell them about free software and it goes like this: (A... someone, B... me)
A: "Sounds great! Where can I get started?" I should now answer: B: "Hm... use a free browser. Get IceCat!" A: "Cool. never heard of it. I'm using Firefox" B: "it's not free software... please use IceCat" A: "ok. where can I get it?" B: "apt-get install icecat" A: "How do I do that with Windows?" B: "Oh. sorry. you can't use any free software with windows. You will never be able to gradually migrate to freedom. good bye."
B is right. I have been advised to install Windows several times when I refused to process MS Office files (privately). Why should it be unseemly to recommend GNU/Linux[1] to get control of your computer?
What are your opinions regarding the Firefox/icecat issue here, when it comes to "spreading the word"?
I deprecate Firefox.
[1] One of these distributions of course: http://www.gnu.org/links/links.html#FreeGNULinuxDistributions