This isn't about undermining Ubuntu. If you only care about Ubuntu, and not about free software, sure, but i think that most of us do.
On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 17:16, David Overcash <[email protected]>wrote: > Pass it on? Really? > > While I don't disagree with (a majority of) your argument - using the > structures of the LoCo community to completely undermine Ubuntu's community > support teams seems a bit... mis-targeted. Doesn't it? > > On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 3:06 PM, Danny Piccirillo < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Please pass this on to discuss with your loco teams. >> >> http://blog.thesilentnumber.me/2010/06/why-ubuntu-locos-should-move-to.html >> >> In the debate over whether it is worth supporting projects like Ubuntu >> which are not purely free software, my opinion thus far remains that Ubuntu >> does help further the free software movement. Arguments against this are >> welcome, but that is a discussion for a future post. The reason that >> Ubuntu's local community teams should move to LibrePlanet is because having >> one of the worlds strongest FLOSS advocacy networks centered around one >> piece of software and sponsored by one company is a disservice to the >> greater free software community. >> >> I have been heavily involved in Ubuntu advocacy for years, but for a while >> now, >> i<http://blog.thesilentnumber.me/2009/07/i-am-capitalized-and-you-are-not.html>'ve >> been considering the prospect of local teams operating independent >> of Canonical. This would *not* be a move to abandon Ubuntu, but simply to >> open up more possibilities and reach our full potential. Most people in >> LoCos are not loyal to Ubuntu, but to free software (aka open source). We >> are united by a set of ideals and work together to promote software which >> helps further these ideals. Why then, must all of our advocacy revolve >> around one GNU+Linux distribution? There are two main reasons for why it >> currently does. >> >> Firstly, because Ubuntu is seen by most people as the best way to >> introduce new people to a (mostly) free desktop environment. It is certainly >> much easier to simply promote one operating system than a family of them. >> Still, this is no reason to limit ourselves. A team not entirely exclusive >> to Ubuntu can just as easily choose to promote Ubuntu exclusively for events >> aimed at the general public. Ubuntu may be the best now, but if something >> better came along or if Ubuntu went downhill, we should be able and ready to >> adapt. Being an Ubuntu LoCo does not provide this flexibility. >> >> Secondly, because the infrastructure is there. Canonical provides a wiki >> and mailing lists to their teams and in exchange, the teams work for them, >> albeit loosely, as part of the Ubuntu LoCo project, under its name and >> banner. Canonical also provides printed install discs to officially approved >> teams, but there is no reason why Canonical should not provide sponsorship >> to any team of people who will be promoting Ubuntu. It's mutually >> beneficial. In the meantime, to continue receiving materials only provided >> to officially approved teams, LoCo's can continue to operate alongside >> LibrePlanet groups. This isn't all to say that Canincal has been working to >> actively lock teams in, but this is the effect it now has. Creating the LoCo >> project, providing the structure needed to establish global network of local >> advocacy teams, was a great service, but the time has come to grow beyond >> its current scope. >> >> LibrePlanet is inspired by Ubuntu's LoCo Project, but it's instead >> organized around ideals, not any particular piece of software. Surely there >> are some who only care about what tools work best, but let's not forget the >> ideals which made these better tools possible. Most of us imagine a world >> where these ideals are universal and see an incredible amount of potential >> in that. LibrePlanet isn't yet another social group for GNU+Linux users, but >> a team of activists. These groups are more open to users of any free >> software who may be interested in advocacy. Sponsorship could come from >> Canonical, Mozilla, or whoever. Isn't this much more in line with the nature >> of FLOSS? >> >> Being a LoCo does in many ways lock you in to promoting Ubuntu. You may >> promote other software and welcome users of other distros, but by their very >> title, LoCo teams exist for Ubuntu. The very reason i began taking this idea >> seriously is because some non-Ubuntu users wanted to get involved with an >> event organized by my local community team, but did not want to work under >> an Ubuntu banner (literally). I don't blame them. I went on to discover many >> people who lurk on our mailing list and even IRC channel simply hadn't >> gotten involved because they were put off by the exclusive nature of the >> group even though they do happen to use Ubuntu themselves. There is an >> incredible network of people out there who want to help, and we shouldn't >> box them out. >> >> Many people have some badly tainted perceptions of the FSF, but being a >> LibrePlanet team does not require strict adherence to FSF rules. Teams could >> work on would be creating a voice for free software that doesn't have the >> (in my opinion mostly wrong) reputation of the FSF to be too extreme, and >> this is coming from someone who often doesn't agree with their approach. To >> provide an example and get the ball rolling, i'd like to announce the >> LibrePlanet >> Massachusetts Team <http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Group:Massachusetts,_USA>. >> >> Mailing list: >> http://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-us-ma >> IRC: #libreplanet-us-ma on FreeNode >> >> The LibrePlanet Massachusetts Team is a group of volunteers and activists >>> organized around furthering the ideals of free software and related issues >>> concerning digital rights <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights> >>> and free culture <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Culture_movement>. >> >> >>> This group is working towards a free society through free software, but >>> we are not a local Free Software Foundation team. We share the same end >>> goals as the FSF, but some of us may find it necessary and more effective to >>> make some temporary compromises with proprietary software in order to better >>> spread free software. Some of us may not necessarily say GNU+Linux or always >>> say "free software" instead of "open source", and some of us may use >>> pragmatic benefits to advocate free software with the understanding that >>> freedom is the underlying concern and principle which makes it all possible. >>> We are open to people of all levels of interest in free software and welcome >>> new participants. We are all united in the fight for software freedom as an >>> important and necessary means for the prospect of a free society. >> >> >> You can start your own LibrePlanet chapter here: >> http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Form:Group >> >> -- >> .danny >> >> ☮♥Ⓐ - http://www.google.com/profiles/danny.piccirillo >> Every (in)decision matters. >> >> -- >> loco-contacts mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/loco-contacts >> >> > > -- > loco-contacts mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/loco-contacts > > -- .danny ☮♥Ⓐ - http://www.google.com/profiles/danny.piccirillo Every (in)decision matters.
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