Re: agreeing with the DFSG (was Re: non-free --> non-dfsg)
Hi Manoj,
> >> Those with opinions that differ from the mainstream should not be
> >> branded "heretics" or encouraged to leave.
>
> Why not?
Isn't that rather extreme? :)
> When views of people differ in detail ,there is basis for a
> dialogue. When even the fundamentals are contested, there is no
> common ground to build anything out of. (An extreme example is the
> white supremascist who went around trashing martin luther king, jr,
> in an alabama group this last weekend -- his views on racsm are so
> far from mine that there is no point even trying to interact with
> him).
>
> Admttedly, the situation we have here is not anywhere near as
> extreme as all that, but in pinciple I see nothing inherently wrong
> about the project insisting that there be some basis or commonality
> of philosophy in the candidates that are approved for inclusion in
> the group of developers, if only to prevent anarchy as the project is
> torn apart by wildly differing factions.
Philosophy of the DFSG is fine but asking someone to agree word for word
with any declaration or statement is asking for a lot. I am going to give
an extreme example too so please bear with me. Let's assume that we live
in a police state where speaking up against the law is unheard of and
punishable. Which would you prefer: living in a society where people
follow the laws but speak up if the law isn't a fair one in their opinion,
or would you prefer the police state? I greatly prefer the society where
one is allowed to speak up. Do we want Debian to be a police state of
sorts? I admit that this is an extreme analogy but I think that it
conveys what I am trying to say.
> The DFSG defines what Deban stands for. Asking developers to
> agree with it is not uncalled for.
What do you mean by "agree?" With its spirit or its contents? Asking
them to agree with its spirit is fine. Asking them to abide by the DFSG
is fine. However asking them to agree with everything it says isn't fair
and reflects negatively on Debian as an organization that stands for
software freedom.
-Ossama
______________________________________________________________________
Ossama Othman <othman@cs.wustl.edu>
58 60 1A E8 7A 66 F4 44 74 9F 3C D4 EF BF 35 88 1024/8A04D15D 1998/08/26
> manoj
> --
> "No job too big; no fee too big!" Dr. Peter Venkman, "Ghost-busters"
> Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.golden-gryphon.com/>
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>
>
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