> GNOME's usefulness as a software package is independent of how we talk
> about it. However, the use of GNOME provides an opportunity to
> educate the users about this issue, in philosophical and political
> terms -- to teach them the idealism of the free software movement.
I don't think we have a duty or even a right to "educate" users in
this fashion.
That is a rather strange political principle -- that it is wrong to
teach or even to present a political idea to others. Fortunately the
people fighting SOPA did not follow this principle, or they could not
have drawn enough support to win.
If I had followed it we wouldn't have GNU or GNOME.
Regardless in my personal experience having given
presentations on the subject, trying to force a political ideology
along with the topic generally leads to glazed over eyes and dismissal
at best.
Forcing a political view on people is wrong, but since we don't
control the state, we could not try that even if we wanted to. Media
propaganda campaigns are wrong too, but since we don't control the
corporate media, we could not try that either.
There are many ethical ways we can place the issue in front of the
users, and lead many of them to consider it, without forcing or even
pressuring any individual to do so. These methods are ethical and
effective (they don't convince everyone, but they convince many).
GNOME does a little of this. The point is, it should do more.
Candidates, what are your ideas for how to do this?
--
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
Use Ekiga or an ordinary phone call
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