[ubuntu-art] A request

[Mark Shuttleworth]

Michiel Sikma wrote:
> I've been on the Ubuntu Artwork team for a little while now. It was
> fun talking to everybody on the mailing list here and exciting to see
> my proposal for usplash used in Dapper. I can't wait to begin
> seriously contributing to Edgy and discussing how we should make it
> look great.
>
> There is one thing, however, that makes me a bit sour. On IRC in
> particular, I've noticed that there is a sort of detrimental attitude
> towards people who use proprietary software to contribute to Ubuntu.
> While I find it logical that one would promote dogfooding when
> possible, such as using GIMP to create graphics for open source
> software, but that shouldn't imply that it's okay to actively
> discourage the use of tried and tested software people like using.
>
Michiel, thank you for your contributions so far, and I want to urge you
to continue to contribute, using whatever tools work best for you right
now. As others have written, the use of an open format like SVG or PNG
makes collaboration easier and results in content that does not force
other artists to make the same choices that you did. But I see that you
understand that.

It would also be great if you could, for example, once a year evaluate
the best free software art tools, and blog about the features you think
they need before someone like yourself will switch to them. That helps
guide the development of free software and would be another valuable
contribution.

> Ubuntu is not about limiting others to your choices. Ubuntu is also
> about freedom of choice, and I feel that Ubuntu Artwork development
> should be the same. 

Very well said.

Folks, Michiel's feelings must have taken some courage to express. I
expect this team and this list to be as passionate about the Ubuntu Code
of Conduct as I am. We are here to collaborate and to help build a
better software platform for everybody. Some people will choose to use
proprietary software. That does not make them bad, or stupid, people.
Value their contributions, perhaps even more for the fact that they our
stepping "outside" their comfortable toolset to help us change their world.

Our goal is to ensure that there exists a complete free software stack
for any professional purpose. To do that, we need to draw on expertise
which might not yet be ready to live in a free software-only world.
Michiel is an example of that, and a great contributor to Ubuntu.

Mark
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