Re: [fsf-community-team] Terminology. GNU/Linux

[Simon Bridge]

On Sat, 2009-12-12 at 15:33 -0800, Edward Cherlin wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 07:41, Don Saklad <address@hidden> wrote:
> > When using the term GNU/Linux in advocating important principles, Boston 
> > City Hall people fail to comprehend the term. Would any of you kind folks 
> > have any hints, tips or pointers?...

Well, since they have used it, my feeling is to let it rest for a bit.
Leave it up to our enemies to point out that this is not what they
actually mean. Then we can respond that this is what they *should* mean!

It may be possible to leverage the gaff later.

But then, I tend to be sneaky - this is politics after all. It is
important, however, to check that the gaff does not put gnu/linux in a
bad light. BCH must be clearly trying to use gnu/linux as an example of
the kinds of values they think are important - and here I have missed
the original reference.

This is important - remember that your statements will be quoted in
"sound-bites" - the "important principles" in the above quote actually
needs to say what principles - it needs to succinctly say in what way
BCH is misunderstanding - and this is quite an art form.

The ethics of tricking and manoevering someone into doing the right
thing is pretty thorny. Remember, we support vendor lockin where we are
locking the user in to freedom.