Hi Lara,
As you're aware, I posted this on another LUG that
I'm a member of and so you would have read it
there. I'm posting my comments to SLUG because I
think they are pertinent for members here too
('natch) (NB. This is NOT a campaign against
you... my stalking days are over...ankle-bracelet
tracking devices really do play havoc with the
line of my trousers)
:)
*********
First, good luck with your PhD.
I have a couple of things I'd like to raise, and
hope that they're received in the same manner in
which they're intended - friendly commentary :)
1. One of your questions is "How important are the
following to your involvement in Open Source
development?"
An option you've provided is:
"Providing imitations of proprietary software
products and services"
The use of the term 'imitations' is, in my
reading, a somewhat pejorative and misleading
term. FOSS projects are not 'imitations'. Rather,
if they replicate similar functions of an existing
proprietary project, application or program, they
are replacements for them.
If I was to copy a Monet, or create an album in
which I mimic Holst's "Planets", these would be
imitations. I would imagine most FOSS developers
would not consider or appreciate the notion that
they were creating imitations, which by it's very
nature implies something "less than", any more
than the Rolling Stones would appreciate their
music being called an imitation of Chuck Berry's.
2. Another questions is "If you needed help to
make an important decision, for example about a
job or moving to another part of the country.
Apart from your husband, wife or partner (if you
have one) who would you turn to first for help?"
An option provided is:
"God/Jesus"
This is somewhat limiting and unfortunately, very
Christian-oriented. Muslims believe in God, but do
not have an option of putting 'Mohammed' (though
Jesus is seen as a prophet by Muslims). God is
quite a generic term and would cover most (if not
all) monotheistic religions. Conflating God and
Jesus is, I'd argue, an act that marginalises
non-Christian groups and implies a relationship
that is not accepted, for instance, by Jews.
This is from a non-believer, by the way.
3. Your e-mail says "I am trying to collect
responses from as many open source developers and
users as possible..."
After completing your survey, I observed that
there were very few questions oriented towards
'users' as against questions targeting those who
work on FOSS projects.
Again, good luck with your PhD and I hope you are
able to navigate the smiling piranhas in both the
academic and FOSS world.
Regards,
Patrick
[SLUG] A request for your input.
Hello
My name is Lara Thynne and I am a PhD candidate at Deakin University
Australia. I am currently researching the boundary between work and
leisure activities directly related to the open source community and
open source program development.
<snip>
https://dcarf.deakin.edu.au/surveys/oss/
<snip>
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