Re: [Fsuk-manchester] GNU/Linux users (was: Mission statement - request for comments)

[Lucy]

On 26/06/2008, Michael Dorrington <address@hidden> wrote:
> Simon Ward wrote:
>
> > On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 12:34:01AM +0100, Tim Dobson wrote:
> >
> > > As far as I'm aware, we are not a GLUG  (GNU/Linux User Group).
> > >
> >
> > No.  That doesn't stop it from being a major topic.  GNU/Linux is the
> > most widely known and used free software system to my knowledge.
> >
>
>  But does that mean we should mention it in the Mission statement? Many of
> those GNU/Linux systems are run by users that don't care about free software
> and happily install non-free software on their systems. I'd have more
> solidarity with someone choosing to use Firefox and OpenOffice because they
> are free software but running on Microsoft Windows because they aren't ready
> to make the switch yet. Compared to someone running "GNU/Linux" with no
> interest in free software and unconcerned with installing non-free software.

Should we not also be targeting these people though? I don't think
it's bad that some people don't care about free software, I'm not sure
that everyone should (some people don't even care about computers!),
but I think that people who are interested enough to run GNU/Linux are
worth targeting (but not lecturing).

I dislike the way everything is seen in a very 'black & white'
fashion. A lot of GNU/Linux users do care about free software, but
don't have a problem installing non-free flash (for example), that
doesn't mean they are the enemy though and they still aren't the enemy
even if they simply don't care whether flash is free or not. I think
we should be trying (in a friendly way) to educate and raise awareness
of the issues with these people.

If you want a bad guy to go after then it's the companies who write
the non-free software and firmware.

</rant>

I'm going to be afk from this afternoon until Monday, so if I don't
reply I'm not hiding, I'm just in another county..