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Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Ubuntu begginers guide, reply


From: Michael Dorrington
Subject: Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Ubuntu begginers guide, reply
Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:07:02 +0000
User-agent: Mozilla-Thunderbird 2.0.0.24 (X11/20100328)

Pete Morris wrote:
> I think the trick here is not to go too gung-go about it. Keep it
> light, keep it fun, keep it interesting. When Richard Stallman was
> pondering ideas about free software and copyleft, his underlying
> purpose was to ensure that useful functionality wasn't lost; it
> wasn't about burning placards and Stalin style speeches.

You are attacking a straw man[1] there as we didn't propose to burn
placards or make Stalin style speeches (*and* we didn't say we wouldn't
talk about functionality, quite the reverse!). What we said is that we
will explain the free software philosophy. So if you argue against
something we actually proposed then the above boils down to something
like "Richard Stallman wasn't about talking about the free software
philosophy" which is blatantly false.

> There is an strong correlation between the free software movement and
> other minority opinion groups, and sometimes the two can get
> interwoven in a rather unfortunate manner ("vegan cupcakes", if
> you'll excuse me citing an example, although I'm sure they are
> delicious). People are inherently sceptical, and if they get a whiff
> of nerves that this might actually be a cover for the socialist
> worker party, a time-share talk or some kind of cult, they'll switch
> off.

This event is going to be targeted for a particular audience that will
appreciate, and be receptive, to the event's approach.

> If you are trying to reach a wider audience or appeal to 'the
> mainstream' then it's key to make sure that you don't come across as
> having an alternative agenda. This is where companies like Canonical
> excel, as they know how to play to their target market. They send
> reps who know how to relate to business; they wear classy suits
> rather than strange t-shirts with obscure unix 'jokes'; they talk
> about concepts like "cost reduction" and "total cost of ownership"
> rather than arguing about whether Firefox or Iceweasle is the way
> forward. You get the idea.

We are about free software and we talk about software freedom. What you
described above sounds very much like Open Source, please see "Why Open
Source misses the point of Free Software"
<http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html>.

> Any philosophy talk needs to follow the usual KISS philosophy. Don't
> lecture or preach; people are supposed to be empowered to make their
> own choices (that's the whole point of free software!), not have GNU
> rammed down their throat hard. Lots of anecdotes, stories, examples,
> things people can relate to and see where it might fit into their own
> lives. The key point is that you are trying to *demonstrate* why free
> software is cool, not *teach* why free software is good for them.

Attacking a straw man again because we didn't say we'd ram GNU "down
their throat hard". And that last sentence? "Cool" isn't mentioned in
the Four Freedoms[2]. Though, not respecting users' software freedom is
"not cool" :)

If someone wants to organise a free software related event, such as a
training event, targeted at a different audience later next year then
MFS would certainly like to help out. We are already helping out with
U^3 for 11.04, which will happen a few weeks before the release of
Ubuntu 11.04 on 28th April.

Cheers,
Mike.

> Pete

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
[2] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

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