Re: [Fsfe-uk] Linux User & Developer Expo

[Roger Leigh]

MJ Ray <address@hidden> writes:

> On 2004-04-26 18:37:01 +0100 Roger Leigh
> <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>> they hadn't the first clue about Free software.  I'm sure this applied
>> to many of the attendees as well.  Was the situation improved this
>> year?
>
> Not as far as I found, but I was not there for long this year,
> preferring to meet cool people like Jon Masters, Hugo Mills and others.
>
>> One argument that could be used it that given the savings the company
>> makes by using free software over proprietary alternatives, could part
>> of that saving be donated to free software projects?
>
> I am delighted to receive donations and add them to the AFFS funds
> intended for free software projects (something over 700 pounds at
> present IIRC), but I feel a little uncomfortable really driving for
> them until there is a decided way to use that money.

I would rather advise people on how they can contribute directly,
rather than through an intermediary such as AFFS--this way they can
donate to exactly the project/group they wish.  This means we don't
need to worry about how best to use the money.  For example, I would
include the FSF, FSFE, AFFS, FFII, EFF, Debian, ¿SourceForge? and
other organisations in this category.  It's not going to be possible
to list everyone, but pointing out the main projects which will put
the money to good use should be doable.

I'd very much like to encourage non-monetary contributions though.
For non-programmers, I imagine the free software community can seem
quite intimidating, but there are many ways in which non-coders can
contribute, e.g. docs, testing, bug reporting, usability testing,
feature requests, helping other users etc., and they can play a very
important part.


-- 
Roger Leigh

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