Re: traditional Intel & Microsoft formats...

[Erich Stefan Boleyn <erich@uruk.org>]

> The main purpose of GNU is to make a free operating system--not to
> enhance proprietary ones.  If everyone in the world ran GNU software
> on Windows, that would perhaps please some users, but fundamentally
> the project would have gone astray.  If a community, whether large or
> small, can be viable using entirely free software, that is success.

Hmmm...  I think you're responding to <artk@congruent.com>'s
comment about going with Windows-NT, but it sounds enough like
you're responding to my comment on emulation that I'm sending
this.

My reasoning for interest in a flexible binary emulator
that is free and runs on a free OS, but can run proprietary executables
is that it opens the doors for those who would like to use a
non-proprietary OS, but are required to use proprietary software.

The biggest argument is always the existence argument.  We need
to do <task>, and the only software available to really help
with <task> is <package> running on <OS> on <hardware>, and
each one is proprietary, and possibly incompatible with other
things they have.

In the long run, in theory, binary emulation for systems that
don't have process migration may be useless, but I don't foresee
the free software world taking over that completely for a
very long time, even given that people will go that route
without a lot of persuasion.

To get poeple to use a free OS on a lot of machines willingly,
the only way I see to do it is at least OS-emulation (running
executables form different OS's on the same hardware), and
binary emulation is the logical conclusion which makes it
just that much better.

For example, (I hope you don't hate me for saying this, Richard :-/,
I think that a PPC/68K Mac emulation system would be a very good
addition.  The reason is that it would encourage people who
are stuck using Mac applications to run on a HURD OS supported
machine.  They wouldn't have to buy from Apple, then.  My
girlfriend, for example, has to use Mac application for her job,
and will have to for some time.

> We do support non-GNU-like operating systems, when it is not a lot of
> trouble and someone writes the code.

I think at least supporting the formats is a Good Thing, as long
as someone wants to use a free OS for some proprietary thing
they need to work on.

In case you're interested, I really do believe in the GNU idea,
and liked the manifesto, but I really want to get it used widely.

Erich
--
Erich Stefan Boleyn               \__   E-mail (preferred):  <erich@uruk.org>
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