Re: Binaries from GNOME project

[Loban Rahman <loban enigma caltech edu>]

Ben,

I'm not a core-developer, but I can say that I don't think it is the Gnome
Project's responsibility to provide binaries of their packages.
All distributions that include Gnome make their own binaries of the Gnome
packages. Whether they decide to continue making updated binaries in between
major releases of their distribution is up to them. (This rebuts your #3).

Helix Code volunteered to create up-to-date binaries of a major portion of
the Gnome Packages. Hence they are linked to from the Gnome Website.
If you don't want their binaries, download another distributor's binaries
or create your own. That's your choice. (This rebuts your #1, #2, #4).

Personally, I like the current plan better. Because back when the binaries
were available at the Gnome website, they would very often lag behind the
source-tarball version.

> Why did the GNOME project stop to provide binaries and directs users to
> one certain commercial provider (Helixcode) instead?
> I do not want to install software from Helixcode for several reasons
> 1. I generally don't want to install software from commercial entities*
> 2. I do not want to see logos from commercial entities in my software
> (installer)*
> 3. I consider it being unfair to other distributors to drive users to
> one certain company, making theirs the "official" distribution
> 4. I don't like their installer
> Re 1.: I am aware that Helixcode employees are GNOME members, and that
> Helixcode contributes to GNOME, but Helixcode is creating the
> distribution on its own behalf without GNOME controlling them. The
> difference? E.g. 2..
> * At least I want to have the choice not to - without having to compile
> by myself or search endlessly for a "good" distribution.
> *Please*
> - either remove all mentions of Helixcode from the GNOME website or
> mention it along with other distributors
> - provide stable binaries again
> Or does Mozilla.org direct users to <http://home.netscape.com>? Does
> <http://kernel.org> direct users to <http://www.torvalds.com>? (No, they
> don't.)
 

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