[ubuntu-TR press release about investigation [was Re: please support]

[t u]

Ozgur Karatas wrote:
> despite there is only kurdish language support in ubuntu, they claim
> ubuntu is a kurdish linux and also assert that they developed it. this
> kind of attitude cause turk-kurd discrimination. to work on this subject
> voluntarilty, i am asking for authority spokesman rights, because, these
> events troubles me and other ubuntu volunteers in my country. below, i am
> sending newspaper and other press link on this issue:

Hi,

I read your press release (which was in Turkish, sent to the ubuntu-tr
list) and voiced my strong concerns with it there. I would like to voice
my concerns once more here in English, (more publically).

The press release in question is cowardly at best, and I apologize for
being up front with you and everyone else here on this. I, as a Turkish
Ubuntu user, would protest such a press release.

It calls into question the efforts of Ubuntu's Kurdish Language Team.
This team is an approved part of Ubuntu, and the result of their work is
a *Kurdish* Linux distribution, nothing less. Translation is part of
development. Your press release tries to refute their effort.

I understand that you do not want Turkish people to associate Ubuntu
with a separatist Kurdish movement. However, this is not the time to be
timid. And the investigation isn't against a separatist movement but
against free software and against a mayor who supports multilingualism...

Your press release needs to tell people that Ubuntu is free software
(free as in *free* *speech*) and as such it should indicate that:
1. Ubuntu is against censorship of freedom of speech and expression (the
investigation is symbolic in that it tries to undermine Kurds' right to
"speak" their own language thru Ubuntu)
2. Ubuntu supports and encourages the translation efforts of the Ubuntu
Kurdish Team ( https://launchpad.net/people/kurdish )
3. Ubuntu perceives translation as part of development (of a
distribution as a whole -not "coding" per se)
4. Ubuntu provides a free operating system in Kurdish to Kurdish people
and it is *proud* to do so
5. It is okay to call a "distro in Kurdish" a "Kurdish distro"... There
is nothing separatist about it... I would call a Linux distro in English
an English Linux distro (as opposed to a Turkish / French / Spanish /
etc Linux distro), wouldn't you?

I would like to ask Ubuntu developers, the marketing team, and Mr.
Shuttleworth not to allow a press release that is not dissected with
care by an informed community.

Also, my personal message to ubuntu-tr, please do not release a press
statement if it will encourage censorship and prohibition of free speech.

Thanks and I'm sorry to bother everyone with this issue.

PS. This seems to be more appropriate for sounder, so I'm cc'ing it so
the discussion can continue there. Please CC me in your emails (if you
want a response from me) bc I'm not subscribed to that one :)

-- 
Please scan all attachments for viruses.
Or (though you might like Rodin) you might as well avoid "The Gates of
Hell" and use Linux.