[Liverpool] My mistake

[oscillik]

We need to take LUG club out of the basement, take it to Project Mayhem...

------- Original message -------
From: Simon Johnson <simon.johnson at gmail.com>
To: liverpool at mailman.lug.org.uk
Sent: 18.2.'09,  11:52

> 
> > I have a request. At the next meeting would it be possible to get
> > members views (strictly for my benefit) on what they think is the
> > primary function of a LUG.
> 
>  
> To free the world from the tyranny of closed source software so that our 
descendants, innumerable, can continue to enjoy the same four software 
freedoms that we enjoy today.
> 
> Or maybe not. I'm not that die-hard a Stallmanist. I think the LUG has to 
change for the 21st century. In the beginning it was about introducing 
people to the free software and extolling the benefits of it over 
proprietory operating systems and programs.
> 
> Today, free software is mainstream. Firefox has 20% market share, Google 
uses it run their data centres, Netbooks are shipping with Linux 
pre-installed. Sun Microsystems is open-sourcing every part of their 
technology stack.
> 
> Of course, the goal of a LUG should still continue to promote the 
political philosophy of free software. But in my view, the political 
philopsohy is the weakest reason for using free software. Free software is 
higher quality, runs on more platforms and leads to a more vibrant 
community of software developers.
> 
> For example, I think that Windows 7 is a vast improvement over Windows 
Vista. I'd like Windows 7 as a replacement to my XP machine at work. Would 
I install it at home? Absolutely not.
> 
> Windows 7 feels like the siberian wilderness. Out of the box the system 
is barely usable. There's no sensible package management. If I want to 
develop a program, the only real contender these days is .NET (also owned 
by Microsoft). If I want a decent text editor, I have to get the free 
software program Notepad++. If I want a decent image manipulation program I 
need Paint.NET (Free software). If I want a good FTP client I need to use 
Filezilla (Free software).
> 
> If I'm using so much free software just to make Windows usable, then why 
not get rid of the costly, closed software, operating system and replace it 
with an OS that lives and breathes free software?
> 
> We're now at the point where lots of people have used free software on 
Windows. We just need people to take the final step. That's one goal of a 
LUG, to increase awareness.
> 
> The other is to discuss technical topics with like minded individuals. 
Personally, I prefer this side of the modern LUG to the politics.
> 
> Simon.
> 
>