[Sussex] Thoughts On Contrubuting to the Community

[Steve Dobbo Dobson]

Nic

On Fri, Mar 30, 2007 at 04:18:39PM +0100, Nic James Ferrier wrote:
> Steve Dobbo Dobson <steve at dobson.org> writes:
> > So here is your homework from me.  You MUST reply to this email saying
> > how you contribute, how you pay your dues, for using Linux.
> 
> But I have to say Steve, that I find this a bit insulting to be honest.

I'm sorry about that.

> We're not a community that normally DEMANDS things from people. 

We're not?  The GPL is full of terms that you *must* follow in order to
use that software, (a point you make later).  If you don't consider them
demands what are they then?

> I realize it's Friday and all but let's try and be encouraging, not
> bullying.

That was my intent.

>           Personally, I don't wanna give anyone homework just before
> the easter holidays.

Hence the month to do it in.  I in no way wanted to make this an onerous
task.  My thoughts are that a month gives you time to do something and
report on it if you can't think of anything you've already done.

You've already done much, and in many ways your post will be off putting
to someone who can't contribute in that way.  I want to see how many
people are helping by installing Linux on a friends computer, or their
mum's.  In many ways those contributes are more important to get Linux
to the masses than those of Linus T.

But I didn't want set this homework just to, say, just those that haven't
posted to this list in the last six months, I wanted it to be as inclusive
as possible.

>                        I'd rather they came to linux and got involved
> coz they saw it was worthwhile not because someone told them they HAD
> to give something back.

I don't disagree.  But that doesn't change the fact that we have nearly
200 e-mail addresses signed up and only a fraction post at all.  How do
we get those that don't post to join in the fun.  My idea was to set a
little "homework".

>                         All they HAVE to give back is the legal
> responsibilities of the GPL and the other licences and to my knowledge
> these are not "let's make the sussex lug a more fun and interesting
> place".

I never said it was.  But if, by fulfilling your "legal responsibilities",
you happen to make SLUG a more fun and interesting place isn't that a
good thing?

Steve
-- 
                              Steve "Dobbo" Dobson
                                steve at dobson.org
                               SussexLUG Master
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BOFH excuse #162:

bugs in the RAID
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