I agree. I hope for once this turns the tides. ESR has turned the free software movement into marketing for big business under the label Open Source. And he believes that you can somehow separate the pragmatic from the principle.
Free software is about freedom. The only thing that can happen by China's adoption of GNU/Linux is more freedom.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Remember this is FREE software! With the free exchange of ideas, information, and source code, China's Government made a big mistake with GNU/Linux. The Information Age is bad for Communism. But they don't understand it, do they? It is like magic to them. Poof! Break a code. Poof! More rapid communication. I wish all the Chinese geeks the best of luck liberating information and perhaps something much greater.
Boy! We are playing in a much larger ball park now!
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Freedom people, Freedom. Most definitely because of this I urge everyone to refer to GNU and GNU/Linux as FREE software. With free software you have all the freedoms to use, modify, and redistribute. This means freedom to all users. If we deny China these rights, no matter how horrid their government, the software no longer is free then.
But, hear this! Communism (in every implementation we know of) and dictatorships rely on censorship and controlling all forms of communication to keep in power. Does GNU or GNU/Linux bear ANY resemblance to this!!! If anything the GNU operating system and derivatives are in complete opposition to what we think communism is.
This will not bring down GNU/Linux by any degree. Perhaps some will see this as some mark of tyranny on GNU or Linux. But I see the opposite happening. Perhaps. Just perhaps, a little bit of freedom will rub off in China. With source code, perhaps someone will modify. Perhaps someone will get educated and use this software in ways their government never thought possible. Perhaps, by some slim chance, it will be GNU/Linux that will help, in some slim way, to take some power from the government back to the oppressed people. Perhaps GNU/Linux can democratize China like it has democratized all of us!
This should make all the free software developers feel good. The internet is a much bigger place now.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Using a storage media greater than 500 megabytes for the storage of many individually compressed software components.
Pay up! Yep, that means you future mp3 DVD burners too!
:)
But seriously, this is great. While the rest of the world is getting excited about DVD movies and mega-games, I think the greatest thing about DVDs are more space! Just think: all the binary packages AND the source on ONE disk.
Oh yeah!
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
The Internet is strange. I have been using it for a few years and I still don't get it entirely. For some reason, it is expected that you are connected to the world-wide network. Most people don't know why they need to be connnected, just that they do.
I still don't get the internet. I wonder if it is like when telephones were invented. How come virtually everyone has a television and telephone in their homes?
Why is that thousands of people flock to this site in particular everyday? It would be easy to say Slashdot is for news and communication. We would carefully avoid mentioning anything about addiction and obsession.
There are probably many other sites on the internet like this one, catering to thousands. But for some reason, people are not heading to information sources and news sites, we are gathering to web forums, chat rooms, and email.
The question of whether Man is a social animal has no doubt been solved. There has never been a more powerful force in our world than world-wide communication. And world-wide economic exploitation.
Anyone see the comercials? For e-business? Yes, we now have people from Russia, Japan, Switzerland, etc. telling us how the Internet is power. The Internet is power but now, of course, money has become wrapped up in it. Now, thanks to the internet, all of us see constant advertisements on all our sites. But that is okay, commercial television has prepared us for this. Making money is okay.
After all, we all need to exist in this economy. It is how we get jobs and how we sell our goods. It lets us specialize to what we do well instead on focusing on survival; creating the things we need that are better made by people who know to do those things well.
You have probably noticed that this post is full of contradictions. I just don't yet get this 'Internet' thing. I use it daily. I understand many of the technologies that makes it work. But to understand it is not specialty of programmers, technicians, or system administrators. To understand this are the specialties of philosophers and writers. A big job it is for them. Because to understand this internet thing requires knowlege not much less than knowing how the world goes around.
I am posting here to say I don't know. Does the Internet boom harm society? Did television? Did telephone? Yes and no is probably both of the answers. But them are easy answers. So, for now, I am content with "I don't know".
But one thing I do know. I was going to go into astronomy if I wasn't distracted by computers. But would I have been a good astronomer? Probably not. If you people don't know this yet I will say this to you: computers are among the easiest of professions. Computers have their challenges, sure. But Computers have solutions and you are allowed to be wrong What we call debugging is simply not feasable in most professions. How many bridges must an engineer build before he gets it right? How many people does a surgeon get to practice with?
I don't know. Any other answer would be dishonest.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Is Star Trek dead? I will have to answer "It depends."
I have long been a Trekker. I grew up with The Next Generation (the best of the Trek series IMHO). I also know what makes Star Trek better than Prime Time.
It's the story stupid! If there is a good plot and theme, that could make up for the worst of actors, the most hideous directing, and the cheeziest special effects.
Star Trek did this. Gene Roddenberry was a God because of this. The Next Generetion did this. I can't count how many times both series have surprised me, gasp at the depth, and made me think. This is what Star Trek did well and this is what made it a success. It was (and still is) one of few shows that want you to think.
Then came Deep Space Nine. DS9 had a great concept. It could have been great in the same way Star Trek 6 was great. In many ways the show was great. But somewhere along the lines, the story became unoriginal and cheap. But then they began a war, somewhat like Babylon 5, and it meant something. I was satisfied with the last few seasons of DS9 but I will submit that it lowered Star Trek to a point that it was like everything else.
And Voyager. This is a sad show that tried, futily, to retake some of the energy from TNG. Voyager has had some great shows but what it lacks is excellent theme. Theme is key to all that is Trek. If a show doesn't mean anything, I don't want to watch it and I am sure there are others who agree with me. Voyager kept rehashing the same themes, whether original to Voyager ot stolen from TNG. These themes became stale. Then 7 of 9 came aboard and the ratings went up! Now instead of trying to revive Star Trek, all the producers needed to was keep the audience staring at Seven's breasts--just like everything else. So in this sense, Star Trek is dead. It should be hung and tortured for the monster it has become. But, there might still be hope.
I will use a familiar cliche to Babylon Five watchers: This new series might be our last, best hope for Trek. I have read of some rumors about the new series parelleling the United States and Europe. The uninitialted may find nothing of interest here. But the more alert Trekkers will recognize this as another attempt at the thing Star Trek has done so well: making Star Trek relevent to a current day audience. Indeed, this is a common challenge for all science-fiction. But think! The recent controversy over the United States attacking Kosovo. Whichever side of the fence you take regarding this incident, there is plenty to say here about morality and human beings in general. How exciting it could be. Hopefully, as the article suggests, Rick Bermin will rethink Star Trek in this way. Come on Rick. Tell us something for us to ponder. Make us think. Blur the distinction between good and evil. And have our heros save the federation from its largest threat: itself.
This new series holds all the cards. This could be the resurrection of Star Trek! It could also bury Star Trek forever.
Live long and prosper, Star Trek.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Why don't someone find all the software they can, look for the CREDITS or AUTHORS file, parse it, store entries for each developer in a database somewhere, and then bring out the statistics!
Why hadn't someone thought of this before? You are not going to find out about the developers in "Linux" Software Maps... look in the tarballs.
* Linux is not very significant in the whole of things. What about the compiler, filesystem utilities, X Windows System, text editors, Desktop Enviroments, etc.? And what of the other kernals?
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
If you are a newbie it is okay to ask questions to gurus as long as you tell them that you have looked for the information and give them some idea that you know what you are doing. Don't worry about being flammed unless you are being a jerk. Half the gurus are jerks themselves. You need to sound confident and not desperate.
I speak from personal experience.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
But there is this thing called a learning curve. Having the mouse available eases the learning curve but eventually the user would figure out the key bindings. So eventually the user would stop or almost stop using the mouse.
You should see me in computer class. I use the keyboard all the time on Excel spreadsheets and finish the spreadsheets before everyone else virtually everytime. You can tell a person's experience with the computer, even on a Windows or Mac machine, by how often they reach for the mouse. This is that learning thing.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
There you go confusing Star Trek and Star Wars again. See, if ESR dressed up as someone from Star Trek the protest would have been taken more seriously.
;)
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
You are partly true. Archimedes thought that monarchy would be the best form of government but had the highest potential for corruptionn.
But the US government isn't a true democracy. Our President could fill the role of a monarch but he is voted for by the people and his actions are watched carefully by the Supreme Court and Congress. He doesn't even have the power to create laws, just vetoes them.
So I think the US constitution is one of the best forms of government that exists.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Having 100% people on the internet should never be the goal. Contrary to what you might think, there are many many people who should never use the internet. They don't need it. It is kind of like drivers in metropolises. How many of these people could use public transportation instead of yet another vehicle on the streets. But too many people use somethinng because everyone says they should and they end up using it for no good reason.
Push the internet into homes and get more chatters and porn surfers. Push private transportation and we get accidents.
I say that technology belongs in the hands of those that need it. Everyone else are fine without it.
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
I rarely give a "so what/who cares" attitude but this will be an exception.
For some people, getting on the internet means that you are technologically competent and up-to-date. We all know what getting-wired says but most people misinterpret what it means. Getting on the internet has nothing to do with reaching a new level of technological competence. It is, perhaps, a level higher than getting another TV.
I am pretty sure us slashdot people actually use technology to it's most. But most people I know still use the internet for chat and porn. If this is what the internet is for, then how is "getting wired" a good thing.
Chat and porn are two things I stay away from. They are addicting things that doesn't do much more than eat brain cells. Is this what the information age provides?
Come on people. Most of us have access to vast amounts of information, more information than anyone had in our past. Don't waste it.
So don't misinterpet what "getting wired" means. Only for people who exercise self-restraint, getting a connection to the internet would be an improvement. Everyone else is wasting an incredible resource.
(Sorry for ranting)
***Beginning*of*Signiture*** Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Why would you shoot yourself in the foot like that? Do you have a problem with people giving you source code and a liscense that makes the software freely distributable?
"No! No! Please. I only want binaries and a propietary license! No source code, GPL is evil!"
Well. I am not a developer at all so my opinion should be just as an important as both of you (yes, I am using your elitism against you... that is if you are elitist).
I have found that private mailing lists are far more common for free software projects than you might expect. It is just that most of the time you don't know about them. Once you start contributing, someone may let you in. I know that Debian, Gnome, and UDE have private lists or forums, but them are just the projects that I look-up daily. There are probably more, much more. Even small projects probably have just a couple developers they e-mail directly, it is still a closed list, just smaller.
Debian's organization may not be optimal but the important thing is that it works reasonably. There really isn't an optimal solution, I don't think. Linus seems to be burning out because of his authoritarian leadership. Perhaps a hierachical system would be best...
The biggest problem I think is when a developer refuses a patch. Ideally the person who made the patch would realize his mistake and walk away. But that person probably gets upset at his own wasted effort and may do any number of things to hinder development.
The difference between Free Software and Open Source advocates is that they use the same means for different ends.
Let me tell you about freedom. Freedom is not being forced to do anything other than what is required to allow others them same freedoms. Not allowing modifications to software is stripping away freedoms that people should have. It is like saying you can't fix a chair if it is broken. Not allowing you to redristibute doesn't have much of a metaphor to real objects other than sharing. But if replicators are ever made, freedom might be an issue that we would all expect.
As for not giving out source code. You can give source if you want. Just don't give me the binaries then either. I want source with my software because that is my right!
Remember Free Software? It's what we believed in before open source turned us into proponents of a business model instead of an ideal.
Absolutely. All this talk of PR for Apache instead of Linux and advocating Linux to employees makes me cringe. Who needs these companies anyway?
I would like to say something though that may offend some people. Far too much of Open Source is about marketing. Marketing marketing marketing. There are many people where GNU/Linux doesn't make sense but the Open Source advocates are selling it anyway. Come on, this is far from pragmatic. This is taking World Domination from a good natured joke to an obsession. Someone's sig a while back had a good quote from Stallman. Something about World Domination not being the goal because freedom doesn't dominate.
Seeing some of your replies, I have to comment. There is a reason I am a free software advocate. I thought it through. Let me explain:
Anyone ever notice how software has the tendency to form monopolies. First IBM then Microsoft. Come on, you know that Microsoft didn't do anything special to get to where they are now, they just happen to have the right idea at the right time. Right now Microsoft has an entire empire of software and standards moving them forward. But the biggest reason they are on top is because all their software works together. See what I am saying is: Software is much better at cooperating with each other than competing. Say this to yourself over and over again and you can come up with more examples that agree with me.
Knowing this, I can think of three ways software can cooperate:
One all encompassing company writes all the software. This like today with Microsoft.
Many software companies taking certain niches with extensive government regulation.
Free Software
There may be more but I couldn't think of any. But of the three, I would choose the last one. I think most people would too, given a choice. This comes to my second theory: Software wants to be free. Say that one over and over again. It is based on my first theory.
You see? If you have many many software packages on your system, the best way for them to all cooperate is if you have source code, if you can freely redistribute, if you can use it, if it is free! This way no company can lock others out of the market by propietary standards or intellectual property. Best of all, companies and developers would be sending each other modifications of their software because they want the software to work well with each other; because ultimately, the customers want it too.
This is what many call the open source development model. But for the model to work, it requires freedom first to make the software work well with each other.
Microsoft did that for a reason. They figured, and quite rightly so, that one of the best way for a novice to feel safe using a computer is to make the mouse as responsive as possible. I often laugh when Windows crashes and I get a blank screen with the mouse cursor. I would say to my friends, "Windows has just crashed... but at least the mouse works."
Compared to Windows, XFree's mouse cursor is unresponsive. You can just feel the difference when you use each for a period of time.
You see, Gnu/Linux is no longer just for the computer elite, it for a much larger crowd who for some reason, want to take a chance with this bold new platform.
Hacking value isn't a boolean value, friend. It is qualitive in all shapes and sizes. Think, there is probably somebody who used to be famliar DOS batch files and task-switching in DOS who right now is experimenting with Python. Think, someone who used to write HTML in MS Notepad is, right now, learning vi. Think, right now, someone is writing their first shell script. Think, right now, someone is learning Perl.
If there is one good GNU/Linux can cause because of it's hype, it would be the spread of true computer literacy and the aknowledgement of what computer literacy really is.
Desktops like Gnome and KDE aren't just catering to the masses, they are catering to people who are less secure with a command-line, but still want to learn. Tell me this, what difference is there between developing in gEdit rather than emacs or vi.
Why is it, you think, that people are coming to Unix? Probably because Windows isn't fun anymore. A little while ago, I saw one of the last issues of DOSWorld in the newsstands. I glanced through it and saw the various tricks and hacks with batch scripts and DOS and thought to myself, these people would love GNU/linux. I believe that many of these people do. DOSWorld doesn't exist anymore.
I would love to see a scripting utility for gnome to make access to the desktop more easier. Access to all the Corba objects and bonobo componets with documentation, something compelling to even the least computer literate.
Actually, I would argue the reverse. I think stability improvements are impressive. Especially with the many interlocking componets of a desktop enviroment.
I gave up on Gnome due to all the bugs
Well, what are you waiting for? This is the stable release you have been waiting for and no longer need to be a bigot!
Slashdot Mirror
I agree. I hope for once this turns the tides. ESR has turned the free software movement into marketing for big business under the label Open Source. And he believes that you can somehow separate the pragmatic from the principle.
Free software is about freedom. The only thing that can happen by China's adoption of GNU/Linux is more freedom.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Yes Yes YES YES!!!!!
Remember this is FREE software! With the free exchange of ideas, information, and source code, China's Government made a big mistake with GNU/Linux. The Information Age is bad for Communism. But they don't understand it, do they? It is like magic to them. Poof! Break a code. Poof! More rapid communication. I wish all the Chinese geeks the best of luck liberating information and perhaps something much greater.
Boy! We are playing in a much larger ball park now!
***Beginning*of*Signiture***
Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Freedom people, Freedom. Most definitely because of this I urge everyone to refer to GNU and GNU/Linux as FREE software. With free software you have all the freedoms to use, modify, and redistribute. This means freedom to all users. If we deny China these rights, no matter how horrid their government, the software no longer is free then.
But, hear this! Communism (in every implementation we know of) and dictatorships rely on censorship and controlling all forms of communication to keep in power. Does GNU or GNU/Linux bear ANY resemblance to this!!! If anything the GNU operating system and derivatives are in complete opposition to what we think communism is.
This will not bring down GNU/Linux by any degree. Perhaps some will see this as some mark of tyranny on GNU or Linux. But I see the opposite happening. Perhaps. Just perhaps, a little bit of freedom will rub off in China. With source code, perhaps someone will modify. Perhaps someone will get educated and use this software in ways their government never thought possible. Perhaps, by some slim chance, it will be GNU/Linux that will help, in some slim way, to take some power from the government back to the oppressed people. Perhaps GNU/Linux can democratize China like it has democratized all of us!
This should make all the free software developers feel good. The internet is a much bigger place now.
***Beginning*of*Signiture***
Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
I was going to say something but decided against it. So let me just say there are persons more worthy.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
"Your freedom to throw your fist ends at the tip of my nose."
[and hence my preference for GPL]
***Beginning*of*Signiture***
Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Pay up! Yep, that means you future mp3 DVD burners too!
:)
But seriously, this is great. While the rest of the world is getting excited about DVD movies and mega-games, I think the greatest thing about DVDs are more space! Just think: all the binary packages AND the source on ONE disk.
Oh yeah!
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
The single worst thing about the 'Open Source movement' is that it is bringing about an army of marketers.
Come on guys! This what the marketing department of Corel and Microsoft do! "Hmmm. So, will this increase our user base?"
"Yes but will they find the software usefull?"
"Herbert! Get the new guy out of here now!"
I pity what the Open Source movement has turned into.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
The Internet is strange. I have been using it for a few years and I still don't get it entirely. For some reason, it is expected that you are connected to the world-wide network. Most people don't know why they need to be connnected, just that they do.
I still don't get the internet. I wonder if it is like when telephones were invented. How come virtually everyone has a television and telephone in their homes?
Why is that thousands of people flock to this site in particular everyday? It would be easy to say Slashdot is for news and communication. We would carefully avoid mentioning anything about addiction and obsession.
There are probably many other sites on the internet like this one, catering to thousands. But for some reason, people are not heading to information sources and news sites, we are gathering to web forums, chat rooms, and email.
The question of whether Man is a social animal has no doubt been solved. There has never been a more powerful force in our world than world-wide communication. And world-wide economic exploitation.
Anyone see the comercials? For e-business? Yes, we now have people from Russia, Japan, Switzerland, etc. telling us how the Internet is power. The Internet is power but now, of course, money has become wrapped up in it. Now, thanks to the internet, all of us see constant advertisements on all our sites. But that is okay, commercial television has prepared us for this. Making money is okay.
After all, we all need to exist in this economy. It is how we get jobs and how we sell our goods. It lets us specialize to what we do well instead on focusing on survival; creating the things we need that are better made by people who know to do those things well.
You have probably noticed that this post is full of contradictions. I just don't yet get this 'Internet' thing. I use it daily. I understand many of the technologies that makes it work. But to understand it is not specialty of programmers, technicians, or system administrators. To understand this are the specialties of philosophers and writers. A big job it is for them. Because to understand this internet thing requires knowlege not much less than knowing how the world goes around.
I am posting here to say I don't know. Does the Internet boom harm society? Did television? Did telephone? Yes and no is probably both of the answers. But them are easy answers. So, for now, I am content with "I don't know".
But one thing I do know. I was going to go into astronomy if I wasn't distracted by computers. But would I have been a good astronomer? Probably not. If you people don't know this yet I will say this to you: computers are among the easiest of professions. Computers have their challenges, sure. But Computers have solutions and you are allowed to be wrong What we call debugging is simply not feasable in most professions. How many bridges must an engineer build before he gets it right? How many people does a surgeon get to practice with?
I don't know. Any other answer would be dishonest.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Electronics and food. What an open-minded company.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Is Star Trek dead? I will have to answer "It depends."
I have long been a Trekker. I grew up with The Next Generation (the best of the Trek series IMHO). I also know what makes Star Trek better than Prime Time.
It's the story stupid! If there is a good plot and theme, that could make up for the worst of actors, the most hideous directing, and the cheeziest special effects.
Star Trek did this. Gene Roddenberry was a God because of this. The Next Generetion did this. I can't count how many times both series have surprised me, gasp at the depth, and made me think. This is what Star Trek did well and this is what made it a success. It was (and still is) one of few shows that want you to think.
Then came Deep Space Nine. DS9 had a great concept. It could have been great in the same way Star Trek 6 was great. In many ways the show was great. But somewhere along the lines, the story became unoriginal and cheap. But then they began a war, somewhat like Babylon 5, and it meant something. I was satisfied with the last few seasons of DS9 but I will submit that it lowered Star Trek to a point that it was like everything else.
And Voyager. This is a sad show that tried, futily, to retake some of the energy from TNG. Voyager has had some great shows but what it lacks is excellent theme. Theme is key to all that is Trek. If a show doesn't mean anything, I don't want to watch it and I am sure there are others who agree with me. Voyager kept rehashing the same themes, whether original to Voyager ot stolen from TNG. These themes became stale. Then 7 of 9 came aboard and the ratings went up! Now instead of trying to revive Star Trek, all the producers needed to was keep the audience staring at Seven's breasts--just like everything else. So in this sense, Star Trek is dead. It should be hung and tortured for the monster it has become. But, there might still be hope.
I will use a familiar cliche to Babylon Five watchers: This new series might be our last, best hope for Trek. I have read of some rumors about the new series parelleling the United States and Europe. The uninitialted may find nothing of interest here. But the more alert Trekkers will recognize this as another attempt at the thing Star Trek has done so well: making Star Trek relevent to a current day audience. Indeed, this is a common challenge for all science-fiction. But think! The recent controversy over the United States attacking Kosovo. Whichever side of the fence you take regarding this incident, there is plenty to say here about morality and human beings in general. How exciting it could be. Hopefully, as the article suggests, Rick Bermin will rethink Star Trek in this way. Come on Rick. Tell us something for us to ponder. Make us think. Blur the distinction between good and evil. And have our heros save the federation from its largest threat: itself.
This new series holds all the cards. This could be the resurrection of Star Trek! It could also bury Star Trek forever.
Live long and prosper, Star Trek.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
Why don't someone find all the software they can, look for the CREDITS or AUTHORS file, parse it, store entries for each developer in a database somewhere, and then bring out the statistics!
Why hadn't someone thought of this before? You are not going to find out about the developers in "Linux" Software Maps... look in the tarballs.
* Linux is not very significant in the whole of things. What about the compiler, filesystem utilities, X Windows System, text editors, Desktop Enviroments, etc.? And what of the other kernals?
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Almost but not quite.
If you are a newbie it is okay to ask questions to gurus as long as you tell them that you have looked for the information and give them some idea that you know what you are doing. Don't worry about being flammed unless you are being a jerk. Half the gurus are jerks themselves. You need to sound confident and not desperate.
I speak from personal experience.
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Sorry for flaming.
But there is this thing called a learning curve. Having the mouse available eases the learning curve but eventually the user would figure out the key bindings. So eventually the user would stop or almost stop using the mouse.
You should see me in computer class. I use the keyboard all the time on Excel spreadsheets and finish the spreadsheets before everyone else virtually everytime. You can tell a person's experience with the computer, even on a Windows or Mac machine, by how often they reach for the mouse. This is that learning thing.
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There you go confusing Star Trek and Star Wars again. See, if ESR dressed up as someone from Star Trek the protest would have been taken more seriously.
;)
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You are partly true. Archimedes thought that monarchy would be the best form of government but had the highest potential for corruptionn.
But the US government isn't a true democracy. Our President could fill the role of a monarch but he is voted for by the people and his actions are watched carefully by the Supreme Court and Congress. He doesn't even have the power to create laws, just vetoes them.
So I think the US constitution is one of the best forms of government that exists.
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Really? Why don't you get off your elitist high-horse and ask yourself how mouse support is a bad thing.
Oh no! The program is easier without taking away my flexibility! Easier! Oh, the horror!
I am more in the opinion that most of the clueless are the people who *use* GNU/Linux.
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Having 100% people on the internet should never be the goal. Contrary to what you might think, there are many many people who should never use the internet. They don't need it. It is kind of like drivers in metropolises. How many of these people could use public transportation instead of yet another vehicle on the streets. But too many people use somethinng because everyone says they should and they end up using it for no good reason.
Push the internet into homes and get more chatters and porn surfers. Push private transportation and we get accidents.
I say that technology belongs in the hands of those that need it. Everyone else are fine without it.
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Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
I rarely give a "so what/who cares" attitude but this will be an exception.
For some people, getting on the internet means that you are technologically competent and up-to-date. We all know what getting-wired says but most people misinterpret what it means. Getting on the internet has nothing to do with reaching a new level of technological competence. It is, perhaps, a level higher than getting another TV.
I am pretty sure us slashdot people actually use technology to it's most. But most people I know still use the internet for chat and porn. If this is what the internet is for, then how is "getting wired" a good thing.
Chat and porn are two things I stay away from. They are addicting things that doesn't do much more than eat brain cells. Is this what the information age provides?
Come on people. Most of us have access to vast amounts of information, more information than anyone had in our past. Don't waste it.
So don't misinterpet what "getting wired" means. Only for people who exercise self-restraint, getting a connection to the internet would be an improvement. Everyone else is wasting an incredible resource.
(Sorry for ranting)
***Beginning*of*Signiture***
Linux? That's GNU/Linux to you mister!
"No! No! Please. I only want binaries and a propietary license! No source code, GPL is evil!"
What a world we live in, eh?
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I have found that private mailing lists are far more common for free software projects than you might expect. It is just that most of the time you don't know about them. Once you start contributing, someone may let you in. I know that Debian, Gnome, and UDE have private lists or forums, but them are just the projects that I look-up daily. There are probably more, much more. Even small projects probably have just a couple developers they e-mail directly, it is still a closed list, just smaller.
Debian's organization may not be optimal but the important thing is that it works reasonably. There really isn't an optimal solution, I don't think. Linus seems to be burning out because of his authoritarian leadership. Perhaps a hierachical system would be best...
The biggest problem I think is when a developer refuses a patch. Ideally the person who made the patch would realize his mistake and walk away. But that person probably gets upset at his own wasted effort and may do any number of things to hinder development.
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Let me tell you about freedom. Freedom is not being forced to do anything other than what is required to allow others them same freedoms. Not allowing modifications to software is stripping away freedoms that people should have. It is like saying you can't fix a chair if it is broken. Not allowing you to redristibute doesn't have much of a metaphor to real objects other than sharing. But if replicators are ever made, freedom might be an issue that we would all expect.
As for not giving out source code. You can give source if you want. Just don't give me the binaries then either. I want source with my software because that is my right!
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Remember Free Software? It's what we believed in before open source turned us into proponents of a business model instead of an ideal.
Absolutely. All this talk of PR for Apache instead of Linux and advocating Linux to employees makes me cringe. Who needs these companies anyway?
I would like to say something though that may offend some people. Far too much of Open Source is about marketing. Marketing marketing marketing. There are many people where GNU/Linux doesn't make sense but the Open Source advocates are selling it anyway. Come on, this is far from pragmatic. This is taking World Domination from a good natured joke to an obsession. Someone's sig a while back had a good quote from Stallman. Something about World Domination not being the goal because freedom doesn't dominate.
Seeing some of your replies, I have to comment. There is a reason I am a free software advocate. I thought it through. Let me explain:
Anyone ever notice how software has the tendency to form monopolies. First IBM then Microsoft. Come on, you know that Microsoft didn't do anything special to get to where they are now, they just happen to have the right idea at the right time. Right now Microsoft has an entire empire of software and standards moving them forward. But the biggest reason they are on top is because all their software works together. See what I am saying is: Software is much better at cooperating with each other than competing. Say this to yourself over and over again and you can come up with more examples that agree with me.
Knowing this, I can think of three ways software can cooperate:
There may be more but I couldn't think of any. But of the three, I would choose the last one. I think most people would too, given a choice. This comes to my second theory: Software wants to be free. Say that one over and over again. It is based on my first theory.
You see? If you have many many software packages on your system, the best way for them to all cooperate is if you have source code, if you can freely redistribute, if you can use it, if it is free! This way no company can lock others out of the market by propietary standards or intellectual property. Best of all, companies and developers would be sending each other modifications of their software because they want the software to work well with each other; because ultimately, the customers want it too.
This is what many call the open source development model. But for the model to work, it requires freedom first to make the software work well with each other.
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Compared to Windows, XFree's mouse cursor is unresponsive. You can just feel the difference when you use each for a period of time.
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You see, Gnu/Linux is no longer just for the computer elite, it for a much larger crowd who for some reason, want to take a chance with this bold new platform.
Hacking value isn't a boolean value, friend. It is qualitive in all shapes and sizes. Think, there is probably somebody who used to be famliar DOS batch files and task-switching in DOS who right now is experimenting with Python. Think, someone who used to write HTML in MS Notepad is, right now, learning vi. Think, right now, someone is writing their first shell script. Think, right now, someone is learning Perl.
If there is one good GNU/Linux can cause because of it's hype, it would be the spread of true computer literacy and the aknowledgement of what computer literacy really is.
Desktops like Gnome and KDE aren't just catering to the masses, they are catering to people who are less secure with a command-line, but still want to learn. Tell me this, what difference is there between developing in gEdit rather than emacs or vi.
Why is it, you think, that people are coming to Unix? Probably because Windows isn't fun anymore. A little while ago, I saw one of the last issues of DOSWorld in the newsstands. I glanced through it and saw the various tricks and hacks with batch scripts and DOS and thought to myself, these people would love GNU/linux. I believe that many of these people do. DOSWorld doesn't exist anymore.
I would love to see a scripting utility for gnome to make access to the desktop more easier. Access to all the Corba objects and bonobo componets with documentation, something compelling to even the least computer literate.
Ah, but one can dream...
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I gave up on Gnome due to all the bugs
Well, what are you waiting for? This is the stable release you have been waiting for and no longer need to be a bigot!
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