[BadVista Advocate] Rek2's Post on LUGs and GNULUGs

[Sunnz]

For all I know Ubuntu isn't a corporation of any kind, it is still
personal funded by Mark Shuttleworth and it is an important "stepping
stone" for people to switch.

What we are facing isn't just a straight free replacement of Windows,
but are promoting a free alternative that's different than what they
had. It is not just the freedom/moral that we are introducing but a
technically different beast that's GNU/Linux - and if people can't use
it, or use it to its fullest, then that's too bad, it is also as
_restriction_, albeit different restriction to DRM.

And for that reason I would argue Ubuntu is a very important step in
the course, it is very likely to work on a Windows computer so people
can at least get their head around Linux learning its environment,
etc.

2007/5/2, Lam YongXian <news at adolflam.com>:
>
> > I wanted to state my opinion on this issue. I recognize rek2's
> > authority to make this decision and will therefore not oppose it but
> > if the Binary Freedom community opposes it then a consensus vote will
> > be made and the order overturned. My personal opinion, not the one of
> > BinaryFreedom, is that any change that puts us in a freer position is
> > good. I think that it's better for people to switch to non-free
> > systems like Ubuntu and install proprietary drivers (like I am forced
> > to do) than continue to use Vista because gnewsense doesn't work.
> > While they are still sacrificing freedoms, they are regaining their
> > self-determination which they did not have with Microsoft. We, as free
> > software activists, regardless of our personal beliefs on whether
> > systems like Ubuntu are truly free, should fearless promote such
> > systems. I even would rather see somebody switch to Mac instead of
> > stay with Windows because even then they are regaining
> > self-determination. The danger with this is that as we switch people
> > to not truly free operating systems like Ubuntu, they will gain power.
> > Power corrupts. They are a corporation, and as a corporation have one
> > responsibility: to demonstrate growth to their stockholders. They will
> > no longer care about ethics or freedom and this isn't an attack on
> > Ubuntu, it's developers, or the community but on the corporation. RMS
> > didn't get where he is by compromising, but I believe that in some
> > cases we must slowly gain our ground. One such organization that comes
> > to mind is the IWW who in their constitution say they can't sacrifice
> > their rights at all however there is an important distinction to make.
> > We are not giving up our rights, but we are slowly retaking them. By
> > switching somebody to Ubuntu we are regaining _some_ of our rights and
> > as a result, I consider it not only better but to not be in
> > contradictions with the aim of the FSF, Binary Freedom, and Rek2. I
> > believe that all of these organizations are truly working towards the
> > common good however sometimes we get sidetracked and I wanted to
> > present this alternative way of viewing things if they had not been
> > heard before. As of such, I will continue to present things like
> > Ubuntu to people as options on this mailing list however I will not do
> > so under the flag of Binary Freedom as long as Rek2's ruling stands.
> > Respectfully Submitted,
> > Comrade Ringo Kamens
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Advocate at badvista.org
> > http://badvista.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/advocate
> >
>
> AN ANALOGY:
> We just have to make sure people dun enter ubuntu and think that it is
> already heaven, but later found that they are just 1 level above hell.
> Make sure that they remember to continue climbing up, instead of staying
> satisfied at the level-above-hell like what they used to in hell. That is
> what happened some of to those at OSI.
>
> Some of us come from there, but we are definately not going stay there
> forever. But it is somewhere we have to go through to reach here =)
>
> ---
> Lam YongXian
> Adolflam.com
>
> FSF member #5279
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Advocate mailing list
> Advocate at badvista.org
> http://badvista.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/advocate
>


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