[Sussex] Thoughts On Contrubuting to the Community

[Phil Slade]

HI Steve, I can't contribute because my direct emails to the list are
bumped off by your spam filter, I can however reply to other folks'
mails.  Also there is the problem that I'm often a bit Off Topic,
assuming that the other members have a wide range of interests like
myself, perhaps I'm wrong there.

 regards Phil Slade (generally using Windows ME at home, or the
Library's Win 2000 kit)

On 30/03/07, Steve Dobbo Dobson <steve at dobson.org> wrote:
> Hi all
>
> Last night there were two lurker views voiced that I think are typical:
> a) I'm not experienced enough, and b) I don't want to appear foolish.
> I can somewhat sympathize with the first, but the second (which came from
> someone with good technical expertise) I do not!
>
> I gave my standard answer last night: that there is always someone who
> knows less than you, but this afternoon another, more powerful argument,
> has crossed my mind.
>
> Most of the software you use (on Linux) is covered by the GPL which can
> best be summarized as a "share and share alike" license.  As a user of
> GPLed software you have something to share, your experiences.  So isn't
> your payment to the community, for using GPLed software, to contribute
> your experience back to that community?  I think it is.
>
> After all your experiences do have value, either as something to avoid
> or as something to try.  To someone sitting there and thinking "what
> the hell do I try next" your post/blog entry/whatever might be just the
> thing to help him or her out.
>
> So to all you to spend a moment thinking about two of the questions Nik
> asked last night:
>    1) Why did you switch to Linux?  and
>    2) What is it that you like about Linux now you understand it
>       and the ideals it embodies?
>
> I admit that my answer to (1) is that it came at no cost; it saved me
> money.  But (2) has much more to do with the ethical and moral ideas that
> come with it.  I like using software that doesn't treat me as a pirate
> just because there are those out there that are.
>
> So, if you're one of those lurkers that always thinks that "there is
> someone better qualified to answer that query" stop thinking that NOW!
> You have an implied duty, under the GPL, a license you've agreed with by
> using the software, to contribute.
>
> I've just checked:  there are 194 e-mail addresses signed up to this
> list.  One of them is the list itself (so it can send out the moot
> reminders before each moot [cron is my friend :-) ]), and I know that
> some people are signed up both at home and work.  So we don't have
> nearly 200 members, but we must have somewhere in the region of 100.
> That's not bad going!
>
> 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.  There are
> no exceptions, no excuses, and a reasonable time limit.  You can take
> until the next moot to answer.  Because I'm sure we'll want to talk more
> about it then.  But answer you should.  That's my EULA on this posting
> and all my future posting too:  To make use of the knowledge that I
> impart you must be a contributer too.
>
> And if you need one more reason to reply how's this?  My rational for
> requiring you to post is that the first post is often the hardest, but
> with each post it becomes easier.  So maybe by getting more people
> to post I'll this list more active and more interesting.  And you also
> never know, maybe I'll learn something about how to better post to this
> list.
>
> Steve
> --
>                               Steve "Dobbo" Dobson
>                                 steve at dobson.org
>                                SussexLUG Master
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> BOFH excuse #199:
>
> the curls in your keyboard cord are losing electricity.
>
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