On 13/02/12 17:40, Stefano Zacchiroli wrote:
Although I'd like to hear your comments before deciding, my advice is to accept the invitation and have Debian join OSI. My rationale for that is twofold:
Mozilla is becoming an OSI affiliate, and I am Mozilla's representative to the OSI. I would love to see Debian involved in a similar way, because I think that, while perhaps the split between the two positions in the community will never be completely repaired, having Debian involved in OSI will keep the two sides closer together than not having Debian involved in OSI.
For better or worse, OSI's list of licenses is encoded in lots of policies and legislation around the world. It is in the interests of supporters of software freedom that they make sure that list is well curated.
If you read the OSI discussion lists, you'll certainly find senior figures in that movement regretting previous decisions, e.g. about particular license approvals. Having groups like Debian involved seems to me that it will reduce the likelihood of more of that happening in the future.
Gerv