Re: How far to go with GNU/Linux Users groups?

[Bradley M. Kuhn]

Richard Stallman <address@hidden> wrote:

> Making the difficult judgment call about each group would surely take
> hours of study in each case.  We don't have time for that.  In any case,
> their focus is on a system, not on the principles of free software.  So
> this is not the right place to include them.

I am somewhat surprised to read this, as before when we discussed this,
you were particularly interested to include GNU/Linux user groups, at
least.  What changed your mind?

When we discussed it before, RMS, Loic and I basically came to a consensus
that it made sense to list all these groups on one page, with different
sections about the different kinds of groups they are.  We'd make it clear
that GNU/Linux user groups were primarily focused on the operating system,
but be careful to only list those GNU/Linux or GNU user groups where we
know some principled people are involved.



When I think back to my experiences in Cincinnati, I know for a fact that
if Paul Visscher and others like him hadn't shown up at the GNU/Linux User
Group, they would not now stand as strongly for software freedom as they
do.  The frequent debates and discussions illuminated people, and helped
them sort out the issues around Free Software.

I think it's important that we tell the world when we know a particular
group in a particular town has people who attend regularly that stand for
software freedom.


I don't think it would take hours of study at all to determine this.  We
simply tell those who wish to be listed that they should introduce us to 5
or so people who are active in the group that stand for the principles we
care about.  We then simply recontact them every six months to ask how it
is going.

Collecting this sort of information is useful in its own right, because we
will be able to recruit volunteers from these contacts, and get to know
the grassroots rank and file of the Free Software Movement.  Recall that
we have now found two major and a few minor volunteers from my involvement
in Cincinnati.  I would like to search for ways to reproduce what happened
in Cincinnati: We had lots of opposition to the principles, but still were
able to spread the message well.

   -- bkuhn

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