On Wednesday 29 November 2006 18:46, Gordon Findlay wrote:
> Chris Sawtell wrote:
> >On Wednesday 29 November 2006 17:06, Gordon Findlay wrote:
> >> Read that again: freedom is indivisible.
> >
> >Indeed that's true, but the question we are debating is whether we,
> > as a group, wish to extend that freedom to members from whom
> > excessively frequent postings seem to indicate a very different and
> > divergent point of view of the world from that which the mainstream
> > CLUG community members normally see things.
>
> That is a very un-free view. What 'mainstream'? Who defines the
> 'mainstream'?
The other members of the immediate community or society.
> This sort of judgment is one that can only be made in a
> closed group.
Which we are.
> What's mainstream in CLUG?
Sanity.
> Is it Ubuntu+Gnome? Not long ago it was
> gentoo+KDE. Why must there be a 'mainstream' in a freedom-oriented
> organisation anyway?
>
> If there is to be an 'approved view' (I know, I'm drawing a long bow
> here) then CLUG is not free. Nor is it free if the mailing list is
> moderated (I draw no distinction between the mailing list and CLUG).
> Freedom is a delicate, and precious, flower which needs a hothouse to
> flourish; other occupants of the house must make allowances.
Freedom is fine as long as it doesn't 'disturb the horses'. As soon as
it starts doing that it's time to rein it in. imho we have suffered
sufficient equine disturbance in recent times to fully justify Carl's
request for a consensus about use of the list.
> >to find a solution to a somewhat esoteric problem and see a
> > continuum of postings somewhat laking in literacy skills about
> > irrelevant politics, they'll just unsubscribe and find the solution
> > to their particular problem elsewhere.
>
> Which is fantastic - they got their problem solved.
But not here, unfortunately.
> [Humour alert: Is that a correct use of 'continuum' :-) - I'm a
> pedant]
WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]
continuum
n : a continuous nonspatial whole or extent or succession in
which no part or portion is distinct or distinguishable
from adjacent parts
[also: continua (pl)]
So the answer to your question is 'yes'.
> I don't intend to post again in this thread - I've said what I needed
> to say. But here's a question or two to ponder: would rms enjoy being
> a member of this list?
Richard is an archtypical polymath. He would, I'm certain, be profoundly
irritated by many of the threads. 300+ messages about a non-Free modem
driver!
> Would he be in the 'mainstream'?
For CLUG, possibly. For the wider NZ society, without doubt, No!
--
CS
