Hi Guys,
Not spoken to "The List" (blog) for a wee bit but i have been involved in quite an interesting debate with lets just say for now a very big advocate of the free software foundation and the GNU project (however I'm sure most will guess).
I spoke to him with regards to Linux Society at the University and to my surprise (well not actually but i thought that it would have been later on) was a comment about the name;
//begin quote
I appreciate the intentions of your organization, but the name you have chosen for it has the unfortunate effect of denying the GNU Project the credit for our system. (See http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html.)
Could you possibly call it the GNU/Linux Society, and give us equal mention?
//end quote
By now I'm sure most of us have guessed who but anyway i digress as usual, i suppose my question to everyone on "The List" is what do we think about the term Linux, is it a fair term?
In a wider sense does it deny the GNU project of any credit they are due? Does the GNU/Linux make it more complicated for newer user's wishing to use a Unix like system?
As many know I'm a very big advocate/fan of free software and open source software as well, i think that the free software is an idealogical ground and that the half way house is open-source for the day to day practical world.
However i tend to always look at it from the stand point of how do i explain this to a new person coming to the above mentioned operating system, (and that in fairness is because for most of it i am) and i find that it's not that easy to explain what the FREE in free software is about never mind what GNU is.
He also raised some very interesting points as well so I'll add them and please feel free to comment them either via "The List" or by email to me, as i am truly very interested to hear what you guys think;
//begin quote
* Digital restrictions management. Conspiracies of businesses to
restrict the technology available to the public should be an serious
offense leading to imprisonment.
* Unjust laws such as the EUCD, and its implementations
which are even worse than the EUCD itself.
* Software patents.
* Hardware with secret specifications.
* Bundling of non-free operating systems with computers by stores.
* Use of non-free formats for communication with the public by governments
and by businesses.
* Schools should not teach non-free software -- it is unethical.
// end quote
catch you guys later
Finux
April 22, 2007
April 18, 2007
Hi Guys,
Well just a quick note to the guys on "The List", Feisty is due out tomorrow and i think I'll have a couple of them burnt for the Tuesday Night Meet, might even get around to testing it out, I've read it comes with some pretty nifty toys. One of the toys or interest is the Avahi wireless networking tool, use the zeroconf so that it'll be easier for wireless devices to be networked (I'll believe this when i see it) this is the same software technology being deployed with the One Laptop Per Child project for the Ad-Hoc networking. BTW azmodie found a good article about the ever changing bad boy of linux Mark Shuttleworth called "Time for mass consumer sales of Linux on desktop has not yet come". Can't be too far off though Marky????
Also to let you guys know as well i read a quick story in the Tele that Lord Robert Winston is doing a guest lecture for the BBC in the Bonar Hall of Dundee University. Okay i know that this isn't actual Linux related but he's kinda of an interesting guy. Tickets are free and they can be booked by emailing events@dundee.ac.uk. Let me know if you are going to this as i have already booked my ticket, and we can meet up for a pint either before or afterwards (if I'm lucky maybe even both), it's the 25th of April (yes, i know the day after the meet so what a busy week that'll be). Here is the link to his web site - http://www.robertwinston.co.uk/ and yes he does look like Groucho Marx, what the hay here's the link to his web site too - http://www.groucho-marx.com/
You Can Catch Me On The TayLug Mailing List - https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dundee
Right guys keep on tux'in
Finux
Well just a quick note to the guys on "The List", Feisty is due out tomorrow and i think I'll have a couple of them burnt for the Tuesday Night Meet, might even get around to testing it out, I've read it comes with some pretty nifty toys. One of the toys or interest is the Avahi wireless networking tool, use the zeroconf so that it'll be easier for wireless devices to be networked (I'll believe this when i see it) this is the same software technology being deployed with the One Laptop Per Child project for the Ad-Hoc networking. BTW azmodie found a good article about the ever changing bad boy of linux Mark Shuttleworth called "Time for mass consumer sales of Linux on desktop has not yet come". Can't be too far off though Marky????
Also to let you guys know as well i read a quick story in the Tele that Lord Robert Winston is doing a guest lecture for the BBC in the Bonar Hall of Dundee University. Okay i know that this isn't actual Linux related but he's kinda of an interesting guy. Tickets are free and they can be booked by emailing events@dundee.ac.uk. Let me know if you are going to this as i have already booked my ticket, and we can meet up for a pint either before or afterwards (if I'm lucky maybe even both), it's the 25th of April (yes, i know the day after the meet so what a busy week that'll be). Here is the link to his web site - http://www.robertwinston.co.uk/ and yes he does look like Groucho Marx, what the hay here's the link to his web site too - http://www.groucho-marx.com/
You Can Catch Me On The TayLug Mailing List - https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dundee
Right guys keep on tux'in
Finux
