[ubuntu-uk] Beards and sandals

[Rob Beard]

On 16/01/2009 12:31, David King wrote:
> I know what you mean about the beard and sandals. Just look at a picture
> of Richard Stallman -- would you trust a man who looks like that to
> create your OS?
>    
Why not, I trust him far more than the shy and retiring, 
/softly/-/spoken/ CEO of Microsoft, /Steve/ "Sounds of Silence" /Ballmer 
(okay I borrowed that bit from The Inquirer - 
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/680/1047680/ballmer-blames-pirates-for-poor-vista-sales)/ 

> Stallman has done much for the free software movement, and I respect him
> greatly (for his ideas), but for a newcomer who might see his picture,
> his lack of visits to the barber might well be very off-putting, and
> gives computing in general a kind of elitist hippy image that the
> average person in the street would do anything to avoid.
>    
I agree with that.  My other half was put off when I mentioned I wanted 
the Linux Format Richard Stallman t-shirt. :-)
> There is no reason why a person who is friendly with barbers should not
> also be good with Ubuntu or running a LUG. I have never been to a LUG,
> but mostly because I do not have the time, and their meetings take place
> in the evening, when I am working.
>
>    
I remember when I went to my first LUG meet.  I went on my own, not 
knowing anyone and the first thing I saw was a couple of the LUG members 
wearing Debian t-shirts and gave me the impression that anything other 
than Debian wasn't accepted.  Luckily I found another newbie to talk to 
which put me a bit more at ease.  I just think that it can be a little 
off-putting sometimes when there are a bunch of geeky types who don't 
mingle and introduce themselves to new visitors, they generally just 
keep themselves to themselves.

On the other hand I thought that the Ubuntu event in Swindon couldn't 
have been more different with Dianne and a couple of the other 
Ubuntu-UKers introducing themselves to new visitors and putting them at 
ease.
> Hopefully most people who want to use Ubuntu will see it and its users
> in a positive light (regardless of facial hair and footwear).
>
>    
Hopefully.  I always make a point of not wearing sandals when I go to a 
LUG meet.  Can't do much about the beard though, my other half wants me 
to keep that (but it is trimmed, and not Richard Stallman style).

Rob

> David King
>
>
> piskie wrote:
>    
>> I didn't even know about it to be honest. Looked around for a local LUG
>> last year and didn't get far at the time so gave up, probably due to the
>> last time I looked - which was I hasten to add a long time ago - I found
>> one that was very 'beard and sandles' :)
>>
>> I won't be able to make this one - but once I get a bit of time, I'll
>> try to make the next soton one.
>>
>> piskie
>>
>>
>>
>>      
>
>