Dileep posts :
We are the 1st FSUG in India
Sure, we are. The 1st FSUG in India which has a majority of GNUheads. The GNU angle is more important to us.
--Forwarded message from "Nagarjuna G." nagarjun@hbcse.tifr.res.in --
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 09:39:28 +0530 From: "Nagarjuna G." nagarjun@hbcse.tifr.res.in Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Re: Forming FSUGs in the country To: Arko Provo Mukherjee arkoprovo@peacefulaction.org
We are not going against GLUG if we form FSUG. We can go hand in hand with them. If it is FSF, it should be FSUG.
I have seen RMS insist that if possible, the Group be named as a GNU/Linux User Group instead of calling it as a Free Software User Group. That way, the idea of freedom in computing can be conveyed much easily.
pass a resolution in one of their meetings and announces on their web page
Existing `Linux' User Groups should move away and rename themselves as GNU/Linux User Groups and resolve in their meetings to refuse to support `non-free' software. This need be reflected in their Web Pages too.
Such groups will not encourage the promotion of non-free software under any free operating system, while promoting the use of free software anywhere.
The Group should stress the importance of the GNU Project first. Such groups should discuss the ethical aspects of Free Software and the finer nuances of `what free really means to a computer user ?'. Licensing issues should be discussed as well. They may even discuss how free software can help businesses and stress that free GNU software was born mainly for preserving user freedoms rather than to help businesses.....
Raghavendra Bhat said:
I have seen RMS insist that if possible, the Group be named as a GNU/Linux User Group instead of calling it as a Free Software User Group. That way, the idea of freedom in computing can be conveyed much easily.
I personally don't think so as doing that excludes Free Software like BSD etc that are not part of GNU/Linux. There are free software for M$ Windows too. The goal should be to spread Free Software and not only GNU/Linux. Naming GLUG and supporting Free Software can give newbies an idea that GNU/Linux as the only Free Software and that is unethical as it doesn't respect the other Free Projects. There are lots of people working hard to attain freedom outside the GNU Project. I personally know a group that is trying to create a Free Software package that works on M$ Windows. It will be unfair to projects like these (I think so) if FSF (which was formed to propagate the message of Freedom) supports GLUG and not FSUG.
their web page
Existing `Linux' User Groups should move away and rename themselves as GNU/Linux User Groups and resolve in their meetings to refuse to support `non-free' software. This need be reflected in their Web Pages too.
Such groups will not encourage the promotion of non-free software under any free operating system, while promoting the use of free software anywhere.
Most Linux Users Groups won't agree with us and our policies.
The Group should stress the importance of the GNU Project first. Such groups should discuss the ethical aspects of Free Software and the finer nuances of `what free really means to a computer user ?'. Licensing issues should be discussed as well. They may even discuss how free software can help businesses and stress that free GNU software was born mainly for preserving user freedoms rather than to help businesses.....
There are many Linux and GNU/Linux users who wants to support business on Linux or GNU/Linux platform. They are not bothered whether it is Free or not. They are parts of LUGS. So don't expect many LUGS to respond .
Regards Arko
I personally don't think so as doing that excludes Free Software like BSD etc that are not part of GNU/Linux. There are free software for M$ Windows too. The goal should be to spread Free Software and not only GNU/Linux. Naming GLUG and supporting Free Software can give newbies an idea that GNU/Linux as the only Free Software and that is unethical as it doesn't respect the other Free Projects. There are lots of people working hard to attain freedom outside the GNU Project. I personally know a group that is trying to create a Free Software package that works on M$ Windows. It will be unfair to projects like these (I think so) if FSF (which was formed to propagate the message of Freedom) supports GLUG and not FSUG.
GNU/Linux and GNU/Hurd are the priority for FSF as far as I understand. It is not that we are against other free OSs like FreeBSD. But those projects are not freedom protected and reason for their existence is not Freedom in computing. So I think our energy is better spend in strengtheing GNU based OSs.
Regards, Arun. -- PS: I personally make it a point to let people know that there are other Free OSs available.
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Arko Provo Mukherjee -
Arun M -
Raghavendra Bhat