Re-imagining

Fri Apr 12 13:44:21 UTC 2013

Thanks.

David

> Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:28:29 -0400
> From: txwikinger at ubuntu.com
> To: ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com
> Subject: Re: Re-imagining
> 
> IRC means Internet Relay Chat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat
> 
> It it a form of live interactive Internet text messaging.
> 
> FLOSS means Free/Libre and Open Source Software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software
> The libre is included in order to distinguish the requirement of liberty in contrast to "free beer".
> 
> You can have closed source software that you can use without paying ("free beer"), but it would not give
> the users the liberty (freedom defined in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Free_Software_Definition),
> because Freedom 1 and 3 in the definition require access to the source code.
> 
> Ralph
> On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 06:03:48AM -0400, David M. Pelly wrote:
> > What does "IRC"  and "FLOSS"  mean in the posts below?
> > 
> > 
> > David
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:17:47 -0400
> > > From: txwikinger at ubuntu.com
> > > To: ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > Subject: Re: Re-imagining
> > > 
> > > On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 06:54:15AM -0700, Randall Ross wrote:
> > > > Mark Paskal wrote:
> > > > > Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:19:24 -0600
> > > > > From: Mark Paskal <markpaskal at gmail.com>
> > > > > To: The Canadian Ubuntu Users Community <ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com>
> > > > > Subject: Re: Re-imagining
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I really feel that the national loco is important as the only obvious place
> > > > > (that I know of, please someone correct me if I'm wrong.) for Canadian
> > > > > users to get support. 
> > > > That's a misconception. Mailing lists are a terrible support channel and
> > > > we'd be better served if there were a "no support questions here" rule.
> > > > IRC is marginally better, but not by much, and is unusable by novice
> > > > Ubuntu people.
> > > > 
> > > > http://askubuntu.com is the official place to get support for the Ubuntu
> > > > project. The legacy (but still useful) place to get support is
> > > > https://answers.launchpad.net
> > > > 
> > > AskUbuntu is not really the place for support. The moderators there are very
> > > fast in closing questions and new users are often disappointed and turn away.
> > > 
> > > AskUbuntu is a collection point of good re-usable questions and answers, which
> > > can be helpful in some circumstances, but that does not amount to good support.
> > > 
> > > Support in the Ubuntu community comes on numerous places. There are mailing lists
> > > specially dedicated for support, similar there are IRC channels solely for that 
> > > purpose. There are fora for it. All those are  available in lots of languages
> > > (which Ask Ubuntu is not -- it is solely English, -- there is a shapado section
> > > for Ubuntu that is multi-lingual, but it is not very frequented).
> > > 
> > > Support can be given in lots of different forms. Every place has its purpose and
> > > its advantages and disadvantages. And sometimes it is difficult. Not every LoCo
> > > has the critical mass to do all of it. However, fortunately for us, if the questions
> > > are merely about Canada specific issues, it is not overwhelming. For general 
> > > questions there are enough other places that are contributed to world-wide in English.
> > > 
> > > I can daily questions through the contact form from the Kubuntu Germany LoCo, 
> > > fortunately, there are places I can send people to get answers. The important point
> > > is often not to be able to answer everything, but to send people to good places. 
> > > > >
> > > > > I think advocating should be left to the city groups if they exist and are
> > > > > interested. Here in Calgary the only interaction I have ever had with
> > > > > another Ubuntu user was making him wonder 'Why is he staring?' as I
> > > > > eyeballed the sticker on his laptop bag in passing. (OMG I'M NOT THE ONLY
> > > > > ONE!!) This area has two million people and I've seen the one guy.
> > > > Given Ubuntu market share estimates, conservatively there are at least
> > > > 20,000 people who enjoy Ubuntu in Calgary. That's enough for a *very*
> > > > large group.
> > > 
> > > I have no clue were you make yup these numbers from. 1) 2% Linux users  is
> > > just an estimate... nobody really knows. And the percentage is very likely
> > > higher in Servers than in Desktops. 2) There are places that have far 
> > > higher numbers, just look at South America, so there are also places with 
> > > a far lower number. Making up such number and calling them conservatively
> > > is not very credible.
> > > > >
> > > > >     Even if ubuntu-stickered-laptop-guy and I were to start a local group I
> > > > > have to question the usefulness of spending time on advocacy given that
> > > > > I'll be spending just as much time helping 90% of users I do manage to
> > > > 
> > > > I will close with a challenge for all reading this: If you are the
> > > > "Sticker guy" or the "Sticker gal" in your city/town, and you want to
> > > > see people freed from monopolists (with bank accounts the size of a
> > > > national treasury) in your lifetime, start an Ubuntu group where you
> > > > live. It's our best chance. The code has been written. We need to get it
> > > > to our friends and neighbours... now.
> > > > 
> > > Well, recently,  Ubuntu is acting more and more monopolistic, too. Maybe
> > > the *buntu community needs to grow a spine before advocacy in this direction
> > > can be made again with a good conscience. 
> > > 
> > > Freeing people is not achieved by selling them used cars that do not fulfill
> > > their needs. Freeing people is achieved by teaching them how to get the
> > > best FLOSS product for their particular purpose. Sure yiou can have
> > > them switch from Microsoft to some pseudo-freedom, but they will not
> > > stay when they figure out what the real motivation was. And then, all
> > > of the FLOSS community has been given a bad name.
> > > 
> > > Life is far more complicated than just some sound bites from a marketing
> > > manual. Delivering what was perceived to be promised is the only way
> > > to earn trust.
> > > 
> > > Ralph
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > -- 
> > > > ubuntu-ca mailing list
> > > > ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca
> > > 
> > > 
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> > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca
> >  		 	   		  
> 
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