[ubuntu-uk] Beards and sandals

[Paul Sutton]

Rob Beard wrote:
> 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>       
>>    
>>     
>
>
>   
On the other hand, find a pic of Linus and he looks very respectable, so 
as we are promoting Linux rather than free software,  then that could be 
a way forward.

Paul

-- 
Paul Sutton
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