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Re: Newbie docs

On Thu, Aug 21, 2003 at 02:28:06PM +0100, Mark Wilkinson wrote:
> 'Hi,  I've just heard about Hurd from ..., and I'm interested in helping 
> out.  I'm grateful to everyone who works on Open Source software, 
> because it's free.  I've attached my CV in Word format so you guys can 
> get a feel for where I may be useful.  I've also been looking at Amazon 
> to try and work out what books to buy, any help would be appreciated on 
> this point. Thx  Arthur Newbie'
> 
> ...and gets a response that corrects him on all the contentious points 
> above, instead of a warm welcome and a little advice on reading 
> material.  I really don't want anyone to take this as criticism, just a 
> suggestion for helping people feel part of things before we draw them 
> into our culture.

I agree except that I'd say correct him _and_ give him a warm welcome and
advice.  The reason I say correct him is that all of these things, the Open
Source movement, the use of proprietary formats and support for software
patents (which Amazon does in a most desisable form) are hurting us very
much up to the point of threatening the base of our (desired economic)
existence.  And I am not exaggerating here.

I definitely and very much agree that there is no need nor reason for not
doing that in a respectful and curteous manner.  Although sometimes newbies
are treated roughly on our mailing list and in particular on IRC, I hope
that this will stay the exception.  It doesn't hurt however to get reminded
of the importance of this, like with your mail.

One thing I want to add.  I was interviewed by a researcher who tried to
find out how free software development works, and why it works.  She
analyzed the various operating system group's activities (Linux, BSD, the
Hurd), and she did ask me specifically why we had hardly any flame wars on
our mailing list.  I believe and hope that this is not just because people
who disagree with us remain silent, but also because we generally are
respectful in our communication.  And I don't want to be proved wrong on
that ;)  So, everyone, please, we have a good reputation, which is well
worth fighting for!  Think twice before raising political issues, and if you
feel you can't take the seconds it takes to calm down and write in a
particularly friendly or neutral manner, don't reply at all, but let someone
else do it.

One could thing to do is to every second time not to write "do not"s but
"do's.  Like: "Please use a portable document format like PS or plain ASCII"
instead "don't use Word", and "Please use the term Free Software to
encourage thinking about the freedom of the software" instead "don't say
Open Source".

Thanks,
Marcus

-- 
`Rhubarb is no Egyptian god.' GNU      http://www.gnu.org    marcus@gnu.org
Marcus Brinkmann              The Hurd http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/
Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
http://www.marcus-brinkmann.de/
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