Re: [Fsfe-uk] [Fwd: [Fsuk-manchester] Richard Stallman talk - Manchester (1st May)]

[Tim Dobson]

On 17/04/2008, Ian Lynch <address@hidden> wrote:
> Probably if he can get to present to the pupils and their teachers. The
> right message to young people who are not entrenched in fear about
> change is a very good way of widening the message beyond those already
> converted.

yep.

> How do you know they don't value freedom? It might simply be that they
> don't understand there is an issue. In fact I'd say for most people that
> is far more likely.

fair point. I totally agree.
>From my experience on some of the less Free Software orientated
Manchester tech mailing lists, it's obvious that there *are* people.
Why Free Software etc isn't a primary aim is probably as you say, that
they don't understand it properly.

> Do you realise how bigoted that sounds? What you are saying is only the
> 5 percent from rich families who can afford school fees are worthy of
> any effort because the other 95% are too stupid to take the message on
> board.

I didn't. I do now. It's obviously not like that. It was meant to be
mildly humourous but it doesn't really come off like that. sorry to
anyone who took offence.

> Private schools can also be some of the most conservative and
> reactionary organisations you will come across. Even if we say 20% of
> the rest of the population are "Waynes" and irretrievable you are going
> for 5% of the potential audience as opposed to 75%.

right, sure they are quite conservative organisations in many places.
But they *like to think*, _just like any other school_, that they are
forward thinking.

It doesn't really matter which you target, however I would suggest
that both are equally important. (contrary to what i previously
implied)

> It needs strategies not one off lectures to insignificantly small
> groups.

Sure. But we were discussing lectures, not groups.
Still, its an insightful idea you have just put forward.

> Hence the INGOTs qualifications in Open Systems. I'd dispute
> that it is easy. It requires understanding the nature of the audience
> and a lot of commitment and graft. 5 years so far on the INGOT project
> alone to reach a few thousand youngsters in more than a superficial way
> but with the capacity to scale globally now. Still not a forgone
> conclusion though.

I'll have to look at this, as this is the first time I have heard of
it, but on the face of it sounds pretty cool.

> On that I agree otherwise I wouldn't have bet the farm on a business
> strategy that is sustainable rather than a flash in the pan.


 But your
> later comments seem totally at odds with your comments about the science
> museum and school parties.

> Have you thought this through? ;-)
No. It was 2am ;)

I have now, I think


-- 
www.tdobson.net
----
If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us
still has one object.
If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now
has two ideas.   -  George Bernard Shaw