[SC.LUG] [Fwd: Open letter from Alan Cox] - Off topic chatter

[Richard Smedley]

Rick [Kitty5] wrote:

>Don't have a problem with off topic chatter, however IMO SW Patents is on 
>topic.
>  
>

They are indeed - the problem in other places where this letter
has been forwarded is that people reading it too quickly have
taken it as politicking, and understandably got quite upset.

However it seems to me that the letter is neither telling people
for whom to vote, nor is it endorsing one party over another
 - indeed the two parties it mentions are fairly widely removed
from each other over many key policy areas. Rather the letter
is urging people to make their vote count over software patents
(regardless of other political preferences).

Endorsements of a particular political party are unacceptable on
the list (except the Monster Raving Lunatic Party =o) , but Cox's
letter is not such a missive.

 - Richard
/me grey-haired from the responsibility of judgement :-/