Hi,
All this top posting makes it really hard to properly have a
chronological conversation.
On Sun, Aug 30 2009, Doug Smith wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 30 2009, Jack wrote:
>>>On Sun, Aug 30 2009, Curt Lundgren wrote:
>>>> The flyer for the September LinuxFest at Watkins College is available:
>>>> http://www.curtlundgren.com/linuxfest_sept09_flyer.pdf (150k)
>>>> If the PDF doesn't work for you, here's a JPEG version:
>>>> http://www.curtlundgren.com/linuxfest_sept09_flyer.jpg (900k)
>>> The flyer implies that the free in Linux applies to cost, and
>>> not freedom. In other words, free as in beer, not as in speech. I
>>> think that is somewhat misleading.
>> Get them in, then we can help them learn the details. We are not
Not if they are pulled in on the wrong premise; then they only
get disgusted with a bait and switch.
>> obfuscating the rights and privileges, but the learning curve can be
>> overwhelming in so many ways if we hit newbies with everything at
>> once.
If you pull in people who only are thinking about the cost, you
are not pulling in the right kind of people. Self selection on cost,
and not on freedom, prevents the kind of people who are critical to
free software from getting in.
There is some truth to the adage that what you get for free (as
in beer) is not worth much -- if the only context considered id price.
Free software is a movement, a community, and a cause -- all based on
freedom, not on low price.
> I would concur with Jack. The "free as in speech" aspect of the GPL
> is somewhere between confusing and irrelevant for most newbies. (and
> a good many experienced users)
>
> Not that "free as in speech" is not important, but it's not something
> new users need to know immediately.
I beg to differ. It is the only really important part about
free software and Linux; otherwise, I see no advantage compared
to, say, MAC OSX.
The free as in beer part is something that they can be told at a
later date.
As a free software person, an even promoting freedom is of some
interest. An event promoting cheap stuff is something to avoid,
personally speaking.
manoj
--
A student who changes the course of history is probably taking an exam.
Manoj Srivastava <[email protected]> <http://www.debian.org/~srivasta/>
1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C
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