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I support this cause, but perhaps not spearheaded by the FSF. Their support materials and such promote strictly free distributions, which has a severe usability

I support this cause, but perhaps not spearheaded by the FSF. Their support materials and such promote strictly free distributions, which has a severe usability penalty and are not a great choice for people new to Linux.

olympus 11y ago
Excellent point. The FSF can't really recommend anything but strictly free distros and laptops. If they did they'd be compromising their principles as an organization. But the recommendations leave a person wanting. Only one brand has the "respect your freedom" certification so there isn't much choice in buying a laptop. Someone who wants to promote freedom and still get a decent distro with a reasonable size user base isn't going to be satisfied with what the FSF is endorsing. The heavyweights in the Linux world (Debian, Ubuntu, Suse, RedHat, etc.) aren't recommended by the FSF because they have all compromised their strictly free principles in favor of some practical usability. I want to be able to play .mp3 files. I want to be able to play DVD's legally. I* want a list of distros that aren't Windows or OS X and make sense for me to actually use. They don't have to be strictly free, but they do have to be a step in the right direction *Okay, not really me, for someone who is new to Linux. DistroWatch is great, but I'll bet most people will end up disappointed if they chose a distro strictly off of popularity.