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

Tue May 1 22:32:24 EDT 2007

ok I'll take it off
Comrade Ringo Kamens

On 5/1/07, Jacob Maynard <indymaynard at maynard.homelinux.com> wrote:
> 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
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Advocate mailing list
> >> > 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
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
> > See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
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