2012/2/5 Sumod K Mohan <[email protected]>: > Hi all, > > Let us end that thread or at least start a new thread for "flame-wars". That > is not contributing in any way to helping the poor teacher. Let us leave > that thread for the purpose it was created.
I would agree starting a new thread is a good idea. > Now that said let me say this much. I have the confession of having been a > strong evangelist myself. I learned the hard way the problems with which. > One of the most difficult project the free software community had taken was > the openmoko project, which was aimed at creating open-hardware and > open-software. But having seen it not accomplish the aim, and learning the > problems with that model, I think of the whole issue in new light. I respect I would rather try and fail than not do something I think is important. So I would think openmoko experiment was a good one (and I have bought one of those phones, though I could use it only for a few days as my main phone). Remember Edison failed about 2000 times before he came up with the light bulb. > RMS for the being idealistic, for being the stalwart of free software and > corner stone of the movement. Someone like him is essential to keep the > movement going, to inspire all of us. But at the end of the day, both > the ideologies are right, one of the need to be extremely-idealistic to > inspire others (you wouldn't have the internet without some people being > idealistic) and one of being pragmatic at some point to be successful at > others (You wouldn't have this laptop/desktop without some people being The problem is not being idealistic, but losing target. It is okay if we have to use a non-free bios if there is no alternative, but using that excuse to never attempt to solve the bios problem is not helpful to the community. > practical). An interesting anecdote of which was the BIOS issue (BIOS > firmware being non-free and proprietary), if any of you remember the same. > RMS uses "semi"-laptop because there are no completely free/open source > laptop (including BIOS) available on market. How many of us are ready to do > something like that, does it even make sense for each of us to do that. Now Btw I have a Lemote too :) I'm not saying it is possible for all of us. Most of the time we find excuse that how many people can do this, even though we might be perfectly able to do it. My friend told this 'things you cannot do should not stop you from doing things you cannot do'. If you change a bit 'saying others cannot do it shouldn't be an excuse if you can do it'. Because when we are able to it, we may be able to improve it or make it easier for others, or at the least we can document our efforts and it might make it easier for others. That is what being a hacker means, do things before other people can do it and make it easier for them. > "that"(freedom in software) is one of the things I care about. There are > many other things that I care about, like giving basic education for kids, > to inspire some of them follow research etc and many others outside > education, like freedom of speech etc. Now when I draw the line towards > being over idealistic in one specific directions, I have to compromise on > others or not be successful in any of them. So at the end of the day, it is do what you like to do, follow your passions. like you said we can't win all battles at once, so we have leave some to others. > a personal choice. Now using the term "GNU/Linux" : I tend to use GNU/Linux > whenever possible but don't try to be a word-nazi. If I feel that, the > person don't know about free software, I try to inspire them to it and let I would do the same. Being overly aggressive may not be a good idea, for RMS it works because he has choose to walk the talk. If wouldn't be effective if you are just aggressive like him without taking the effort he puts in, the respect he has earned from his work etc. So I usually say, "I like to call it Free Software and GNU/Linux, I would request you the same. I don't mind you calling it Open Source or Linux, but understand the difference before you choose." > them to choose. It might be a good idea to post a thread about what free > software is or just point the people to a good link. It is kind of a waste > of all our time to repeat the same thing over and again, if any of us is so > passionate, sit down and write what you have to and put in on a site or > something, so that we can spent the remaining time in contributing > effectively to make the free software community stronger. Let us all > contribute in code, design or something creative than just thru arguments. > The code is mightier than the word. ;) I would want people who code to talk more and people who talk to code more :) We need both from all! May be contribute is better than using code, because translations, writing documentations, helping on mailing lists, forums and irc are also important. -- പ്രവീണ് അരിമ്പ്രത്തൊടിയില് You have to keep reminding your government that you don't get your rights from them; you give them permission to rule, only so long as they follow the rules: laws and constitution. _______________________________________________ Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org #[email protected]
