<html> <head> <style></style></head> <body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Thanks. David <div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div>> Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:28:29 -0400 > From: txwikinger@ubuntu.com > To: ubuntu-ca@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@ubuntu.com > > > To: ubuntu-ca@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@gmail.com> > > > > > To: The Canadian Ubuntu Users Community <ubuntu-ca@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@lists.ubuntu.com > > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca > > > > > > > > > -- > > > ubuntu-ca mailing list > > > ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca > > > > > -- > > ubuntu-ca mailing list > > ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca > > > -- > ubuntu-ca mailing list > ubuntu-ca@lists.ubuntu.com > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ca </div> </div></body> </html>