diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.rst b/CONTRIBUTING.rst index 74f35ea4898a7e78de7d9927504601da7f442aee..6d394aa73ddf8bdb3edd5938c373475be7063139 100644 --- a/CONTRIBUTING.rst +++ b/CONTRIBUTING.rst @@ -82,6 +82,26 @@ giving the user control over these decisions is not possible. Developers need to decide what should resonably be followed. +The case on supporting non-free services +---------------------------------------- + +Defined by the `Free Software Definition`_, it is an essential freedom to +be allowed to use free software for any purpose, without limitation. Thus, +interoperability with non-free services shall not be ruled out, and the +BiscuIT project explicitly welcomes implementing support for +interoperability with non-free services. + +However, to purposefullt foster free software and services, if +interoperability for a certain kind of non-free service is implemented, this +must be done in a generalised manner (i.e. using open protocols and +interfaces). For example, if implementing interoperability with some +cloud-hosted calendar provider can be implemented either through a +proprietary API, or through a standard iCalendar/Webcal interfaces, the +latter is to be preferred. Lacking such support, if a proprietary service +is connected through a proprietary, single-purpose interface, measures shall +be taken to also support alternative free services. + + Text documents -------------- @@ -105,4 +125,5 @@ licence possible. .. _Sane software manifesto: https://sane-software.globalcode.info/ .. _Accessibility Manifesto: http://accessibilitymanifesto.com/ .. _User Data Manifesto: https://userdatamanifesto.org/ +.. _Free Software Definition: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html .. _reStructuredText: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/rst.html