Hello all,
Some observations
Anivar was one among the organizers. If he was serious enough about the boycott Novell protest he could have convinced the other organizing committee members earlier itself. Why did he waited till the last day? True spirit of Freedom should make us help others to understand freedom software better.
What we usually do is we support any initiative that helps free software. If there is any thing wrong with the conception or understanding of the organizers regarding the freedom concept we should be helping them to correct themselves. That is what we usually do rather confronting them saying that your concept of freedom is not perfect so that we are against you and you are not welcome to the free software community. It is good for us to alienate others or alienate ourself from rest who are ready to do something for the freedom concept? Why should we establish that we are more "moral" than everyone else.
So what i feel is Anivar was copyrighting the Boycott Novell protest for himself. I dont believe he was interested in the ideological aspect of the boycott novell protest in this case, rather he was using the issue to fulfill his concealed agenda or else he could have intervened in the early stages of organizing itself.
I also came to read some paper news against the conference. it is clear that it is written by someone among us itself. So some people among us seriously working against ourself. Why some people are sternly against some of the free software get-togethers while we support all other programs concerning free software. Anyone who has organized an event will know how it will be when some one tries to interrupt the program. Free software events have rules and agendas like any other meeting. And participants have limited time to get the job done they came for. Its quite logical for the organizers who did a great job to bring together 1000s in the name of free software to ask the protesters to leave.
i fear these attempts will only help our community to become a group of free software technical group alienated from the masses. If what we want is a free software 'movement' it is not good to confront the interested people.
One request.... Dont alienate ourself from the rest.
Regards, Haynes.