Re: Comparison of Raul Miller/20040119-13 and Andrew Suffield/GR Editorial

[Raul Miller <moth@debian.org>]

On Thu, Jan 22, 2004 at 12:30:07PM -0500, Anthony DeRobertis wrote:
> Also, checking the dictionary shows Internet is too, but that it is 
> only a noun. So, the most correct may be "Internet-connected"

I don't like that -- it seems to make the sentence less pertinent.

Here's someone else's opinion on the capitalization issue.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/cmosfaq/cmosfaq.InternetWebandOtherPost-WatergateConcerns.html

   "... for now, little reason to fret over capitalizing it, as long
    as one is not using the term more generically--for example, to refer
    simply to any network of computers."

> > Anyways, if leaving it out creates a problem, I'd like to understand
> > what the probem is so I can fix it.
> 
> I'm not sure. SC 1 says (in your amended version) "Debian will remain 
> 100% free software". If we're not clear that the non-free section is 
> not a part of Debian, then this seems to be a contradiction.

Oh, I see how you're interpreting this.

I'll have to think about this.  I plan on introducing another update to
the proposal to deal with interpretation, but I need to think through
this variety of interpretations first.

> >> Raul's wording covers more than CD manufacturers. Raul's wording also
> >> seems to suggest that we guarantee the distributability of software
> >> in main.
> >
> > Yes.  Guaranteeing the distributability of software in main is one of
> > the major points our guidelines address.
> 
> I was always under the impression that people distributing main did so 
> at their own risk, not ours, though we make our best effort.

My proposal does not provide that kind of guarantee.  It's the absence
of an explicit non-guarantee of distributability, not the presence of
an explicit guarantee of distributability.

If you think otherwise, point out the text which places us at risk?

> > [p.s. I'm still thinking about whether "free software community", "Free
> > Software community" or "Free Software Community" is best.  I'm not sure
> > how I'd even make such a choice -- it's certainly not something I've
> > spent any time thinking about.]
> 
> If you want a poll, I'd vote for "free software community" with "Free 
> Software community" being second. I'm pretty sure community should not 
> be capitalized.

Thanks.

I don't think I'll be capitalizing it as "Free Software community",
because that would seem to imply that there is some specific community
which we're making our priority, rather than some more general sense of
the term.

Thanks again,

-- 
Raul