Semantics

[dave hands]

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 10:21:19 -0700
John or Margaret Montgomery <monashee88 at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Hello folks,
> 
> I am using the heading  - 'semantics' because I know that words matter.
> 
> I am well aware that Linus used the infamous phrase in a playful, jesting manner. I have not felt some other users of the term, to be using it with tongue in cheek.
> 
> I find no humor in the phrase 'Self-appointed Benevolent Dictator For Life'. Mr. Shuttleworth may be the nicest person on earth but the dictator thing is real. Do we have any examples of a 'benevolent dictator'? The answer is yes, many times, for awhile but the benevolent adjective, sooner or later becomes a lie. I keep reading between the lines of Mr. Shuttleworth's statements and many on this list, that 'the ends justify the methods'.
> 
> Consider the word 'canonical'.  Have you looked up the definition for it in a good dictionary? There is something here which bothers me and I think, should bother more of you than it appears to do. 
> 
> All of the major Linux distributions have some form of democracy which underpins the company. Presidents can, and indeed. have been voted out. That can not happen with Canonical short of a palace junta. 
> 
> If Mr. Shuttleworth is so certain in his message of 'humanity', why is he so distrustful of his fellow human-beings? In fact, why is this list censored?
> 
> Let us have some fresh air!
> 
> Sincerely
> John Montgomery
> Let us have some fresh air
> 



Canonical

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48"
canonic ca*non"ic (k.a*no^n"i^k), canonical
ca*non"ic*al (k.a*no^n"i^*kal), a. L. canonicus, LL.
   canonicalis, fr. L. canon: cf. F. canonique. See canon.
   Of or pertaining to a canon; established by, or according to,
   a canon or canons. "The oath of canonical obedience."
   --Hallam.
   1913 Webster

   2. Appearing in a Biblical canon; as, a canonical book of the
      Christian New Testament.
      PJC

   3. Accepted as authoritative; recognized.
      PJC

   4. (Math.) In its standard form, usually also the simplest
      form; -- of an equation or coordinate.
      PJC

   5. (Linguistics) Reduced to the simplest and most significant
      form possible without loss of generality; as, a canonical
      syllable pattern. Opposite of nonstandard.

   Syn: standard. WordNet 1.5

   6. Pertaining to or resembling a musical canon.
      PJC

   Canonical books, or Canonical Scriptures, those books
      which are declared by the canons of the church to be of
      divine inspiration; -- called collectively the canon.
      The Roman Catholic Church holds as canonical several books
      which Protestants reject as apocryphal.

   Canonical epistles, an appellation given to the epistles
      called also general or catholic. See Catholic epistles,
      under Canholic.

   Canonical form (Math.), the simples or most symmetrical
      form to which all functions of the same class can be
      reduced without lose of generality.

   Canonical hours, certain stated times of the day, fixed by
      ecclesiastical laws, and appropriated to the offices of
      prayer and devotion; also, certain portions of the
      Breviary, to be used at stated hours of the day. In
      England, this name is also given to the hours from 8 a. m.
      to 3 p. m. (formerly 8 a. m. to 12 m.) before and after
      which marriage can not be legally performed in any parish
      church.

   Canonical letters, letters of several kinds, formerly given
      by a bishop to traveling clergymen or laymen, to show that
      they were entitled to receive the communion, and to
      distinguish them from heretics.

So if we sneak up on him while he's asleep and look at his scalp we'll see 666?

Mandrake
" 1. (Bot.) A low plant (Mandragora officinarum) of the
      Nightshade family, having a fleshy root, often forked, and
      supposed to resemble a man. It was therefore supposed to
      have animal life, and to cry out when pulled up. All parts
      of the plant are strongly narcotic. It is found in the
      Mediterranean region.
      1913 Webster"


To further quote Python (Monty)

Stop this, it's getting silly!

nux