Again, I write in the "Royal you". On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 17:21, tuxta2 wrote:
> If being a Free Software group means no rules at all, cause rules are
> not in the right spirit, does that make it okay for me to start sending
> links to porn sites I like?
The society we choose to create and live in takes the authority to impose
behaviors to ensure a peace-freedom balance. Hopefully. This is not the
purview of a non-governmental Linux User's Group. A short way of saying it
is "no one asked you to" (no offense, it's just true).
You can find ridiculous extremes in any direction without them necessarily
being appropriate. Just because the words are strung together, that doesn't
give the thought relevance.
And I have no problem with this group/mailing list enforcing rules for
posting, although as a separate issue, if they didn't enforce them equally or
in some other way didn't do what they said they were I know I'd think less of
'them'. My questions look elsewhere, however.
Society imposes rules. But this is about an agreement. You (this group) said
the group is about Linux. Linux is the only software family in this group's
name. This group didn't say it's a Software Hobby Group, or an Alternatives
to Windows Software Group, or a Unix Clone Software Group. It says it's a
Linux User's Group. The group says this publically.
Linux is a copyrighted term. There are licenses and laws that define how
'Linux' can be used, and they apply.
So what does it mean, that this is a Linux User's Group, and not some other
sort of User's Group?
I'm focused on one aspect particularly, which I realized while considering the
RTFM discussion. Some people have no problem with it. Others do. The ones
who do aren't just refraining from saying it themselves - they want to impose
their view on the others.
They aren't just deciding for themselves, they are taking it on themselves to
decide for others, and their justification at the root for taking away
other's choice includes that this is THE Sydney Linux User's Group. ("We
advocate Linux and spread it's message, and to do this we need to...etc.")
Microsoft hasn't monopolized the software industry at the point of a gun -
they did it at the point of a namespace. Their approach has been to get as
many people as possible to think conmputer==Windows. And they twisted arms
(economically) illegally to do it - that's where some aspects of the
anti-competitive court convictions come in. They were (are?) willing to hurt
other people in order to make things come out their way (bankruptcy hurts,
loss of the only chance in a limited lifetime to realize a dream hurts,
family pain and fighting over money problems damages marriages - the harm is
real - and Microsoft lied and cheated to do it).
To control namespace, to control discourse, is to control minds. Microsoft
has real money in the bank for anyone who wants to scoff at this.
And I see this group wants to take the Linux namespace, at least in Sydney.
After reading the messages about who gets to say RTFM, I began to wonder if
this group is actually interested in upholding the philosophy that comes with
that name.
Linux is GPL Free Software - it is, read the license. This group didn't write
it, doesn't own it, but you're taking on the name - should you? Are you
really about Linux?
To be about Linux means to be about Free Software. If you aren't, leave the
name for another group that is - maybe they're willing to back it up.
And maybe you think you are? Are you? If this is about free beer, it's not
about Linux.
If you're going to impose sanctions on people, I think you'd better have your
own house quite in order. I think that.
So I'm asking, I want to hear people's thoughts - is this really about GPL
Free Software Linux? It's not what you say it is, it's what the copyright
holder says it is - that is certain. Free Software is against the censorship
of software - is censoring people consonant with that? If you change the
name to (say) Helpful Newbie Software Group, I could accept the argument that
it would be. But you're appropriating the Linux colors for your flag.
You are trading on the Linux name and meaning.
So, is the THE Sydney Linux User's Group? Do you advocate what Linux stands
for? Or should the name be something else?
I am writing this to the list. Reply to the list, please, out where everyone
can see it.
Regards,
Bret
pgpwnu31xyhsX.pgp
Description: PGP signature
-- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
