[Liverpool] Departure

Fri Aug 24 06:48:22 UTC 2012

Ordinarily I would have words to say here, but this is all I have to say at
the moment:

http://i.imgur.com/To7B5.gif

On 24 August 2012 06:20, Sebastian Arcus <shop at open-t.co.uk> wrote:

> Are you kidding me people? "Reel them in"? "Convince them"? What is this?
> The new religion?
>
> There is no secret to many of you that I was brought up with a strongly
> religious background, with strict rules, where everybody else in the world
> was wrong except "us". It was all about "convincing" others of the Great
> Truth - For Their Own Good (TM). Because people are too stupid to know what
> is really good for them - but us, we were in possession of the Real
> Knowledge, we knew what was good for others, we were the enlightened ones -
> it was our duty to help them see the Light. By any means possible.
>
> What happened when somebody developed a different opinion, away from the
> approved dogma? They were cast out, made to feel worthless, indoctrinated
> about how wrong they were, pounded into submission and generally
> brainwashed. It was no place for innovation, personal development,
> out-of-box thinking, open mindedness, natural human relations or even,
> well, general happiness.
>
> I'm happy to use free and open source software, I enthuse about its
> advantages to people whenever I have the opportunity, I'm happy to
> contribute bug reports, and I suggest open/free software to others whenever
> I feel it would be a good fit for their needs. But I draw a strict line
> between all of the above, and trying to convert the whole world "on
> principle" into using and supporting free and open source software. If it
> is good for them - they'll choose it. Otherwise, I'll let them have
> whatever their heart desires.
>
> I was always under the impression that free and open source software was
> about choice - about being able to select from a number of options. Well,
> to my mind, that includes the ability to choose proprietary software as
> well, if one so wishes. I don't stay up at night dreaming of a world where
> there is nothing but free and open source software. That would actually
> limit the available choices. As I was stating above, I grew up in a world
> where you had no choice but to be "good". I think I'll reserve the right to
> also be "bad". After all, that's what they used to call freedom - if I
> remember correctly.
>
> All of the above might just as well be wrong from a whole bunch of
> philosophical and world utopian points of view. So what! I'll have my
> freedom any day over anybody's childish Stepford Wives vision of the
> future. You go and live in a place where you are told everyday what to eat,
> what to wear, what to work and most importantly what to talk and think -
> all For Your Own Good - and than come back and preach to me about turning
> the world into a perfect place.
>
> One of my clients once told me that if you go, politically, far enough to
> the right - you will actually end up coming around to the left. It seems to
> apply to a whole bunch of other creeds in life. There was a time when all
> people wanted was some space and freedom to tinker with their software and
> hardware, without being constrained by proprietary protocols and closed
> source software. Things have improved immensely since than. But now we want
> more and more - until some seem to dream of a world where everybody HAS to
> do things that way. Let's have a little bit of perspective here. Let's live
> and let live. Let's let others have their own way as well - there is enough
> room for all of us.
>
> I'll wrap up my two cents. I'll be still happy to come to LivLUG, (or any
> other LUG) meet friends and people with even vaguely similar interests.
> I'll happily give talks about Linux and Linux related software and
> technologies and talk my heart out about stuff that turns me on. But count
> me out when it comes to "convincing" anybody of anything. And yes, I'll
> continue to be "inclusive" - and I won't wash my mouth after pronouncing
> the forbidden words. I'd rather be a sinner and free, than an exclusive
> saint.
>
>
> Sebastian
>
>
>
>
>
> On 24/08/12 01:19, Tim Dobson wrote:
>
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>>
>> On 22/08/12 22:07, Bob Ham wrote:
>>
>>> I hope that you will take my departure as a statement that free
>>> software is a serious matter that should not be disregarded.
>>>
>>
>> The challenge of the free software movement to keep people motivated
>> in what is essentially always an ongoing process.
>>
>> Explaining, endlessly being happy to patiently debate all the old
>> arguments is an very impressive skill, somehow Matt Lee and the people
>> that first brought me into the movement could do managed it rather well.
>>
>> Matt and crew knew well, that to help people see that free software
>> was a good thing, he had to meet people, and talk to people who
>> somewhat agreed. Now obviously, somewhat agreeing, is quite a lot like
>> not agreeing, except that at some point you articulate your argument
>> in a different context one day, and it seems they agree with you.
>>
>> It takes a big person to outright admit they were wrong, but they may
>> still agree with you. Free software activism outside of LUG's is
>> important, but LUG (and Drupal/Python/Brainfuck/etc User Groups) are
>> all good places to talk about free software, because the people there
>> have already got a basic understanding, even if they won't agree with
>> you straight away.
>>
>> Anyway, I fondly remember, what must have been, in my words, a rather
>> below-par talk I gave at livlug a number years back. In fact, you're
>> probably very lucky in that I seem to remember you turning up late and
>> missing most of it, which must definitely have been the best way to
>> see the talk, given how unprepared I was!
>>
>> Nevertheless, I remember you slotting in the and immediately starting
>> to ask about what you'd missed, join in with the banter and actually,
>> somehow, managed to make me feel a little less self-conscious, and for
>> that, I'm really grateful. :)
>>
>> I'm sure you have your own things to keep you occupied,
>> but please be aware of both the Manchester Free Software mailing list
>> and the FSFE Manchester mailing list:
>> https://lists.fsfe.org/**mailman/listinfo/manchester<https://lists.fsfe.org/mailman/listinfo/manchester>
>> https://lists.nongnu.org/**mailman/listinfo/fsuk-**manchester<https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsuk-manchester>
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Tim
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>>
>
>
> --
> Linux vehicle CCTV - www.open-t.co.uk/iroko
>
>
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