Appendix A Suggested Responses

Here are some responses you can use when appropriate, if you want to.

Here’s a way to say no to installing code to make your package work on a proprietary operating system, ShackleOS.

You’ve asked us to install support for doing XYZ on ShackleOS. We can’t do that until we have support for XYZ on the GNU system. GNU Project policy is not to add special support for a nonfree operating system until we have equivalent support for the GNU system.

A nonfree system subjugates users. You may not notice this if you have become accustomed to such subjugation, but we do. The Free Software Movement aims to liberate those users by replacing nonfree systems with free software such as the GNU system.

This program does not aim to replace ShackleOS, but the GNU system does. We must support the effort to supplant ShackleOS, not weaken it. If we were to implement more or better support for ShackleOS than for GNU, we would score an own goal.

So please make this feature work on GNU, and then we can install it.

Here’s a way to say no to installing code to make your package work with a proprietary program, ShackleMe.

You’ve asked us to install a feature specifically to work with ShackleMe, but that program is nonfree. GNU Project policy is not to add special support for interoperation with a nonfree program until we support interoperation with comparable free programs equally well or better.

A nonfree program subjugates users. You may not notice this if you have become accustomed to such subjugation, but we do. The mission of the GNU Project is to liberate those users by replacing the nonfree programs with free programs.

This program does not aim to replace ShackleMe, but other free programs do or should. We must support their effort to supplant ShackleMe. If we were to implement interoperability with ShackleMe more than with them, this program would become an additional obstacle to their success. We would score an own goal.

So please make this feature work well with those free replacements first. Once we support them, we can support ShackleMe too.