What it means to be Debian
>>>>> "Dominik" == Dominik George <nik@naturalnet.de> writes:
Dominik> b) BELIEF =========
Dominik> If any Debian contributor BELIEVES that the use of Google,
Dominik> and the like, is a good thing, then the illness lies in the
Dominik> divergence between their contribution and their values, and
Dominik> in that case, I honestly do NOT respect that and consider
Dominik> it harmful.
OK.
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
This issue is important enough to me that I'd like to take a moment to
share mine. I'm not trying to pursuade you. I really appreciate how you
presented your position; you didn't try to say I was wrong, and you were
honest and open even when there is disagreement.
I am not judging you or trying to say you are wrong.
We disagree quite strongly, but at least today, there's room for that.
For myself, I've adopted software freedom as a fairly important value.
I do use some non-free software and use somewhat more non-free services,
but not in my software work, and I look for alternatives. However, far
closer to the core of my being is a value for diversity, for connection,
and for openness. Agreement on what a community does--things like the
DFSG and social contract are essential for forming communities.
However, insisting that people hold particular beliefs rather than that
they uphold the standards of the community has affects I strongly
disagree with. It tends to drive away people with interesting opinions
and to stifle growth and evolution of the community. It tends to really
bad politics, ideological purges, hate and fear about how you will be
judged. I do not value those things.
There are many reasons someone might support the DFSG besides belief in
the global "rightness" of free-software. As an example, someone could
believe in the commons. They want value for their effort. In the
free-software commons the value is that when they contribute, they get
to use the contributions of others. Yet, they might equally be happy in
other areas to be paid directly for their value. I've worked with
people coming from this viewpoint and exchanged great value.
If you succeed in making this sort of belief in free software a
condition of being part of Debian, you will drive me and probably others
away. I suspect that personally I meet your requirements. However I
wouldn't want to be part of such a closed community even if it would
have me.
I'd be sad if that happens, but I'd honor the change in the community.
my reading of the current Debian is that I am welcome and that while a
lot of us do value free software for itself, we are open to anyone
upholding the DFSG and social contract.
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