Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Mission statement - request for comments

[Michael Dorrington]

Tim Dobson wrote:
> On Tuesday 24 June 2008 22:06:31 Michael Dorrington wrote:
> > Manchester Free Software serves a growing need for a group in the
> > Manchester area that focuses on free software and, in particular,
> > GNU/Linux. The group encompasses topics which impact on the freedoms of
> > computer users, such as Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).
>
> I've been thinking about this a lot, and whilst i'm not very bothered about 
> the joining words - what Lucy suggested is fine by me really - I am a little 
> bit concerned about something else.
>
> As far as I'm aware, we are not a GLUG  (GNU/Linux User Group).
>
> We aim to have talks of a non-technical nature if possible on a range of 
> issues relating to Free Software.
>
> Therefore is it absolutely necessary to mention GNU/Linux in the mission 
> statement? 
> In my opinion, it probably isn't -I don't proposing ignoring GNU/Linux by any 
> menns but I don't think we should favour it over GNU/OpenSolaris, GNU/BSD or 
> even vanilla BSD or vanilla OpenSolaris or any other free software operating 
> system.
>
> Manchester *free software* group 
>
> It's all in the name.
>
> --
>
> try not to be too abusive when you disagree with me ;) :)

Luckily for you, I agree! ;)

The GNU/Linux bit did seem to grate a bit to me when I was reading it. 
And the statement doesn't mention copyleft 
<http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/copyleft.html> software. Perhaps the 
GNU/Linux part was meant elude to that? So what about this

Manchester Free Software serves a growing need for a group in the 
Manchester area that focuses on free software and, in particular, 
copyleft software. The group encompasses topics which impact on the 
freedoms of computer users, such as Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).

M.