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... fair points made by all, I'd say. Good that this kind of
discussion can be had in a balanced and measured way - everybody gets to have
their say and no-one's shouted down. Good for the free software community I
say.
A launch party for software that's free (beer), to
help to build the community and freedoms (speech) that's behind it all. Cake
too.
Admission free (price to join in, upgrade your already working
software to the new one, between $120-$220 (or $200 to $300 to buy new)
plus upgrading all your other software, not to mention signing up to the EULA
and other loss(es) of freedom((s)).
Des
(PS What's top-posting?)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 11:01
AM
Subject: Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Ubuntu
9.10 Release Party - 30th October
Pete,
My sentiments exactly!
Tony. (Excuse the
top posting)
Pete Morris wrote:
> Let's be honest here guys, an
Ubuntu launch party is more about cake
> than about politics. It's a
chance for a load of rather geeky people
> to come together in a safe
environment where they aren't likely to be
> assaulted by the football
fans in the pub. It's a chance to wear that
> t-shirt you bought in good
faith without feeling a total pillock. And
> mostly it's about social
networking.
>
> So with that said, lambasting such an event is a
bit self-defeating,
> as we need these kinds of events to provide some
welcome
> non-geekiness to the community. Whilst the event itself may
not
> involve life changing utopian epiphanies, nor achieve a direct
change
> of software licensing model, I for one prefer the taste of the
cake
> than whatever the illustrious leader Stallman finds on his
foot...
>
> With free software there is a real danger of throwing
the baby out
> with the bathwater. Which is better, a system which is 1%
free
> software or a system which is 0% free software? Even though the
other
> 99% is fully closed and proprietary, the 1% is still a
starting
> point. We should be celebrating what has already been
achieved rather
> than pointing and booing at what has yet to be
achieved. If, as Lucy
> says, we are totally opposed to anything which
doesn't reach some
> perceived standard of perfection, then we might as
well give up now
> as I suspect we'll never actually achieve that
standard. Aspire yes,
> reach no. If in 15 years we still haven't got
anything resembling a
> workable production release of Hurd, I can't say
I hold out much hope
> for the immediate future.
>
> And as
has also been mentioned, very few end users will be willing to
>
sacrifice functionality for theoretical philosophical freedom. What
>
use is a totally 'free' operating system if it doesn't actually boot
>
and you need to give a presentation in 15 minutes? It's not selling
>
out to use Ubuntu, it's about acknowledging that we aren't perfect
>
ourselves as a community, and sometimes need to get off our
> high-horse
and learn from those around us ... including proprietary
> code. Then,
when we've learned what we need to, we can go replicate
> and introduce
freedom to that market area again.
>
> So go to the launch party,
eat some cake (which I might point out,
> you won't have to pay for --
how's that for free!), and let's all
> have a good time rather than
sulking over pipe-dreams.
>
> Just my £0.02
>
>
Pete
>
>
>
>
_______________________________________________ Fsuk-manchester
>
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--
Tony
Arnold,
Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 6093
Head of IT
Security,
Fax: +44 (0) 870 136 1004
University of
Manchester, Mob:
+44 (0) 773 330 0039
Manchester M13
9PL.
Email: address@hidden
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