Re: Changing "Linux" with "GNU/Linux" or "GNU"

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

On Thu, 2006-08-03 at 21:49 +0300, Yavor Doganov wrote:
> Shaun McCance wrote:
> > 
> > I am not saying you don't have my support.  What I'm saying is that
> > I'm not the silver bullet that you think I am.  Maintainers will
> > WONTFIX a "use GNU/Linux" bug just as fast with my name on it as
> > without.
> 
> I guess you are right, some maintainers will refuse to follow the
> project's policy, although I find it unacceptable that a person who
> declares himself a "GNOME developer/maintainer" would refuse to follow
> an established policy.  If there is no mechanism to deal with such
> cases, this is bad for the project.  Such people will need to be
> persuaded additionaly.  It may or may not work, but having this as a
> GDP-blessed "policy" will help a lot.
> 
> But you seem to be taking a neutral position.  Why are you afraid to
> steer the GNOME "boat" in the right direction?  You fear the wrath of
> fellow "opensource-minded" developers or there is something else that
> I cannot see?  You could ask the GNOME Foundation Board or we can move
> the discussion to the foundation-list, if that is acceptable.

I wear a number of different hats around here:

 * Cowboy hat: I maintain two modules that require me to write
   code in a total of six languages.  (And everybody thought
   we were having a "third language" argument on d-d-l.  Pfft.)
 * Jester's hat: I write documentation and maintain one module
   that contains three largeish documents.  I am the de facto
   maintainer of any piece of user documentation that otherwise
   has no other maintainer.
 * Military beret: To the best of my ability, I lead our diverse
   team of documentation writers.  I have been entrusted to this
   position by our Once and Future King John Fleck.  Among other
   things, this makes me the final authority on how we use the
   English language.  $DEITY help us all[0].
 * Baseball cap[1]: I am a user and enthusiast of Gnome and lots
   of other free software.  As a result of my other hats, I am a
   member of the Gnome Foundation.  But more importantly, I am a
   member of the Gnome community.

Wearing my cowboy hat, I will gladly say GNU/Linux where appropriate
in my user interfaces.  I will also dance the country two-step with
you[2].  Wearing my jester's hat, I will gladly say GNU/Linux in my
documentation, where appropriate.  I will also juggle for you[3].
Wearing my baseball cap, I'll gladly talk about free software and
all other things that are good and wholesome.  And I'll stand and
sing with you during the seventh-inning stretch[4].

But wearing my beret, I will not attempt to set a standard on this
issue for all of Gnome on behalf of the documentation team.  If you
want Gnome to have a policy, take it to the Foundation.  It is not
the GDP's place to dictate this.

[0] DEITY: Undefined variable.
[1] My baseball cap has a Cubs logo emblazoned on it.
[2] The country two-step is actually one of the few partner dances
    that I don't know, but I think I can fake it.
[3] I can't actually juggle.
[4] I am a horrible singer.  But if I had a voice like Michael
    Bubl�I'd start a career doing song-and-dance routines on
    stage.  Wouldn't that be a hoot?

--
Shaun