Re: FSF, terminology, and marketing

[Alberto Ruiz <aruiz gnome org>]

2009/9/18 Brian Cameron <Brian Cameron sun com>:
>
> Marketing Team:
>
> The Free Software Foundation (FSF) encourages the usage of the term
> "GNU/Linux" instead of the term "Linux", and also discourages referring
> to free software and licenses as "open source".  Their argument, which
> I think is valid, is that doing so helps to highlight free software and
> bring positive attention towards the free software community.

I do see value on being politically correct. However, to be
politically correct, if we wanted to be consistent with the FSF
argument that GNU deserves credit because it "complements" the Linux
kernel to create a usable system, for loads of people, Xorg and some
BSD utilities also complements the Linux kernel in this regard, should
we be doing something like Xorg/GNU/BSD/Linux then?

Credit is only useful among the developer type, and the developer type
is quite aware of the important role that the GNU project had and
still has in this regard, they just happen not to be the only ones to
have an important role, and saying just Linux is a good way to keep
things neutral and simple.

In any case, this is just my opinion and if the board decides
otherwise, I wouldn't be strongly against of using the recommended FSF
terminology as I see value on being politically correct, but keep in
mind that IMHO, this will only make them happy and will not solve any
other problem than keeping them happy.

-- 
Cheers,
Alberto Ruiz