On 22/12/11 21:28, Keith Edmunds wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:17:07 +0000, aeclist@??? said:
>
>> real
>> people using GNU/Linux operating systems.
>
> Nobody outside geekdom uses GNU/Linux: they use Linux
You are pretty well correct in this, the cause is probably already
lost. Any number of usages and public definitions exist which call the
complete operating system 'Linux'. Even IBM used this term alone when
it marketed its early products as far as I have seen. The marketing
culture has a lot to answer for - including Windows .....
However, it is not just a matter of semantics, otherwise I would not
bother at all. I could not care less what the name is. Marketing in
the free software world is *so* poor that even as an avid user it took
me five years to bump into the real issue.
'Free' software means freedoms, and Stallman defined these. Torvalds
is not an ethical, political idealist creature like Stallman. Torvalds
takes an altogether more easy going view of licencing. So when push
comes to shove (GPL2) is ok for the (Linux) kernel.
Microsoft made its move on Novell etc on GPL2 basis, and drew back
when GPL3 was created. GPL3 included the intention of protecting
freedoms, and blocking such as Microsoft.
There is a lot going on just now which threatens the freedoms but
unfortunately the free software movement is *pants* at marketing.
Having no money does not help against such powerful opposition. I
looked carefully at Stallman's views and I could not fault them.
However I could not personally follow them to the letter. But I don't
think that makes the objectives wrong, just difficult to follow in
todays world.
I am a pragmatic GNU Linux user, I use Ubuntu which contains plenty of
very non free stuff.
But I think Stallman has a good point when he says that just 'Linux'
risks people thinking that princples of 'Linux' are the same as those
of 'free' software. Ok that poses a problem, and Stallman's answer
sounds geeky. Why is 'GNU' any more geeky than 'Linux'? Gnu is a real
animal, not a made up word with an X in it. In part the reason is
simply marketing - so - follow the money, see where it leads. Probably
not towards more freedom?
When I have asked independent computer shops what about - say -
Ubuntu? I get the retort that 'Linux' is not for ordinary users, only
geeks. That 'Linux' and 'geek' word again, used *against* us. Yet we
seem to be proud of it. The associations of both words Linux and geek
are already not helpful in a public forum when marketing is attempted.
At least that is my own direct experience. If you have better luck I
would really be glad to know please.
--
alan cocks
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