Stallman and GNU/Linux, was Re: [Sussex] BBC Video Downloads

[Nic James Ferrier]

"Mark Harrison" <Mark at yourpropertyexpert.com> writes:

> There are many, many, things on which I disagree with Steve :-) However, on
> this one, I have to side with him. The nature of language is that words come
> to mean what the majority of people think they mean, irrespective of what
> the technical people who REALLY understand them may wish.
>
> It is not clear to me why fighting a battle to have people re-educated to
> use the word Linux to refer exclusively to the kernel would be of benefit to
> the wider FL/OSS movement. It's notable that Stallman himself, while having
> written some things about this (including the link referenced in this
> thread) has hardly made it the #1 priority and embarked on a massive crusade
> on the matter.

Absolutely. It is not a massive priority. But the definition of
language should not be left to those who are ignorant. We, the
educated, should also be involved. If we refuse to be involved then
language will be poorer.

I find, that once I explain to people what the difference is, they are
happy to make the distinction. This is technical people.


> Ideological purity is the enemy of pragmatic progress.

But partly the free software movement is against simply pragmatic
progress because we have a statement of political intent:

  software should be free

-- 
Nic Ferrier
http://www.tapsellferrier.co.uk   for all your tapsell ferrier needs