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

[Yavor Doganov <yavor doganov org>]

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 don't think that's a fair characterization.  There are plenty of
> people who agree with the ideals of GNU, who actively hack on *free
> software*, but who don't think that saying "GNU/Linux" is a
> sufficiently important step towards accomplishing those ideals.

If there is such a group, I'm having a hard time figuring out how they
don't consider this a problem.  "Software is like sex, it's better
when it's free" is not part of the GNU Philosophy and definitely not a
message that we'd like to pass to the users.

> Differing opinions on the best means to an end does not equate to a
> difference in ideals.  Just because a person thinks that "GNU/Linux"
> is a mouthful (and it is a mouthful) does not mean that she doesn't
> love free software.  Accusing her of such will only alienate her.

Decisions based on aesthetic issues are feasible if, and only if, the
solution doesn't change the sense.  In our case it is a drastic change
in the worst possible way.  If people want a short name, they can use
"GNU" as in 99% of the cases what you'd say would be valid for all
variants of GNU.

-- 
In the GNU Project, discrimination against proprietary software is not
just a policy -- it's the principle and the purpose.  Proprietary
software is fundamentally unjust and wrong, so when we have the
opportunity to place it at a disadvantage, that is a good thing. --RMS