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

[Jacob Maynard]

Look, we all agree that any step forward in the GNU/Linux direction is a
step in the right direction. But he's right. Binaryfreedom has already
posted their ideals and what they stand for. Rek already said that he
agreed to our opinion of Ubuntu being a step in the right direction. But
since Binaryfreedom's goals and statements are already out there, you
can't bend the rules. It's not to say that you can't endorse Ubuntu
outside of the binaryfreedom site. You just can't mention it as an
alternative ON THE WEBSITE. I get you, and I understand, Rek. Can we all
just get that? It's a losing battle fighting for it, anyway. And we'll
only tear ourselves apart over something so trivial.

Jacob

> 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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>> >
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
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