[PLUG] PDXLUG

Jeme A Brelin jeme at brelin.net
Wed Jan 15 15:00:15 UTC 2003


On 13 Jan 2003, Randal L. Schwartz wrote:
> I really get confused at the rare "Linux uber alles" fanaticism I see
> occasionally.  You miss the bigger picture, which for me is providing
> a viable alternative to M$ products for operating systems, server
> software, and desktop software.  Yes, Linus did a Good Thing.  RedHat
> did a Great Thing getting the business community to accept Linux.  
> But it doesn't stop there.

I actually don't give a hang for Linux (or *BSD or Darwin) because of the
maintainers' lackluster (with the probable exception of Alan Cox) support
for the GPL and Free Software.

The so-called "Open Source" is all well and good as a stepping stone (as
you put it, Randal), but it ignores, in my opinion, the fundamental aspect
of freedom and duty to posterity that is inherent in Free Software.

When there's a viable alternative to Linux that can let me run a GNU OS,
I'll take it in a heartbeat.

As for this whole community existing solely for "providing a viable
alternative to M$ products", I think that view is reactionary and
limiting.

The Free Software movement provides a viable alternative to profit-driven
human interaction with results equally or more productive and contributing
as much or more to technological progress with none of the human
exploitation or degredation.

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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