Is Debian ideology?
Hi,
>>>>> "JT" == James Troup <J.J.Troup@comp.brad.ac.uk> writes:
JT: There are very few people complaining, basically a regular vocal
JT: tiny minority of people who have opposed the DFSG for quite some
JT: time, (Christoph, Alex Y. and you).
I don't think these people are opposed the DFSG, but they are against
some ideological interpretations of it. I can understand their view,
and if they need "mee too", I'm here.
It is a lot of ideology in some statements here. We are full of "free
software is the right thing!" and "Debian is great because it's free!".
This *is* ideology and *M$ approach* to users: "M$ software is great!"
and "M$ is your friend producing wonderful M$ software!". This sounds
very similar to a new user.
Instead of preparing holy statements we should rather much more explain
to all, *why* is free software good thing, like RMS *does*. We all know
this, but IMO most Linux users don't. I don't say people "do not use
non-free program XXX, because non-free is evil", I say them "what about
to use free program YYY instead of XXX, because non-free means these and
those fatal limitations for XXX". I don't recommend people "use Debian,
because it's free <dot>", but I recommend them "use Debian, because it
has an open style of development, and this means <explanation>" instead.
I convinced one my friend to put his program under GPL not by an
argument "GPL is great!" but I explained him, what advantages this means
for his program.
I voted for DFSG because I thought it was right thing. Then I was a
little shocked by some seemingly ideological interpretations of it. I
thought the voting for it was a mistake that time, because it allowed
people to interpret it in IMHO unintended way. After some discussion
things were clarified and I'm happy again that I voted for DFSG, because
it is really a good thing.
Conclusion: I don't think putting enthusiastic statements to the top of
our Web pages helps free software in any way, it's _brain washing_
instead (see M$). Let's users think and give them arguments. And the
problem `non-free' vs. `non-dfsg' shouldn't be solved in the sense
"Mummy, they want to steal my `free' term!". If it confuses users
(really?), then there is something wrong--either this directory should
be renamed or we should put better explanation somewhere. If people
don't understand us (except of real ignorants of course), this is not
problem at their side, this is because we don't do something well enough
or even we do something wrong. It is *our* task to remove this
misunderstanding.
Well, everyone can beat me now for being an ignorant heretic, or can
explain me by arguments, why I am wrong. Choose between ideology and
thinking.
Regards,
Milan Zamazal
--
"Having GNU Emacs is like having a dragon's cave of treasures."
Robert J. Chassell
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