[Assist] Gaming system for linux

[bill-auger]

On Sun, 30 Sep 2018 21:08:43 -0400 lapointe.jonathan wrote:
> Games seem essential for somes and im wonder if its
> so bad to just let someone have the taste of Pure linux with
> something as a silly game that require wine to work.

i never said anything was good nor bad - i said those are relative
concepts that totally depend on ones personal perspective

i would not have responded to that, had you not used the word
"pure" though; and it has nothing to do with wine - wine is free
software - this is the same BS argument you gave on IRC yesterday about
proprietary software being "not so bad" if you run it in a docker
container - im sure this is a painful experience; but dont try fooling
yourself like that - its not fooling us

correct me if im wrong, but the word "pure" there was presumably
intended to be alluding to the software freedom of an OS like parabola -
i could agree with that sentiment; but by that description,
running non-free software such as the sims game, would be adding an
impurity into (or onto) the otherwise pure system - there is no such
thing as 99% pure - even the smallest impurity makes the whole "impure"

but that is not really the point at all - if the only reason your aunt
is using a free software distro is to play a proprietary game, then she
is not actually "tasting" anything of the underlying system that would
differentiate it from a proprietary system - that would be like
smothering a slice of bread with sugar because you want someone to
taste the bread (and then calling it "pure bread")

the assumption that there is any difference whether you run proprietary
programs on a proprietary OS, or that same program in a VM on a free
software host OS is misguided - that distinction does not relate to the
issue of software freedom at all - that makes it sound like proprietary
software is a rabid vermin that will poison you if you come in contact
with it - and the FSDG is some inoculation to "protect" you from it's
disease - and docker is like a cage to contain it from devouring your
immortal soul - its not anything like that - it is about your freedom
to study, modify, and redistribute the software that you use - thats
all - software is not like poison nor shark teeth - it can not harm you
physically; though some people can become addicted to it

if your aunt has no desire to study, modify, or redistribute the
software that she uses, then it makes little difference what software
she uses, or what system it runs on - such as most people see their TV
remote, or a "smart" coffee pot, or a nintendo - and if there were any
difference, she would hardly be able to detect or describe it anyways,
because she has no desire to study the software - if ever she has that
desire, then and only then will the distinction be relevant to her

the moral of this story is that any technology is scary if you dont
understand how it works - as they say, "curiosity kills that cat" -
thats probably becuase the cat does not understand how *anything* works
- the primary benefit of using free software is that it allows it's
users to learn how it works. if it interests them to do so - if that
does not interest them (or if they are a cat), then they would be wise
to think long and hard about whether they actually want to use that
scary tool they dont understand