Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes:
> Dominik George writes ("Re: What it means to be Debian"):
>> I strongly support that. I also do *not* think that everyone who uses
>> non-free services or the like should leave Debian or is neitrely bad for
>> the community.
>>
>> Mostly, I *personally* do not find those people authentic enough to
>> uphold any such community standard. It's somewhat like donating to a
>> species conservation organisation, taking the money from a purse made of
>> crocodile skin. It's quite impossible to take it seriously.
>
> I find it difficult to express my disagreement with the your views,
> and your attitude, with the respect that is due to a fellow
> contributor. But I will try.
Likewise.
The thing that really stands out to me is the rudeness to a newcomer,
combined with a total lack of sympathy for the possibility that other
people's choices might be rather different from one's own.
For instance, one might find Google a little less objectionable if the
local alternative is going to force you to deal with endemic corruption:
http://www.ipaidabribe.com/reports/paid/wanted-internet-connection-line-man-demanded-bribe#gsc.tab=0
A free-of-charge, out-of-country provider might well be the most ethical
choice available.
Alternatively, local the power/bandwidth/servers available at the local
university might simply be unreliable, in which case using Google as a
stable stepping-stone to get to the world makes perfect sense on purely
technical grounds.
If the only contribution one is able to make at any particular moment is
to be rude enough to potentially drive away the target of you bile, as
well perhaps as those looking on from the sidelines, then perhaps it's
time to step away from the keyboard and get a breath of fresh air instead.
Cheers, Phil.
--
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