[sf-lug] mastering CDs in bulk for Software Freedom Day

[Sameer Verma]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 1:59 PM, Rick Moen<rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:
> Quoting david at sterryit.com (david at sterryit.com):
>
>> Let us not forget that this is software freedom day, not OS advocacy
>> day.
>
> Well, sure, but it'll also be (for example) International Talk Like a
> Pirate Day -- and yet, I don't actualy _have_ to wear an eyepatch and go
> around saying "Arrr!" every other sentence, unless I really think that's
> worthwhile.
>
> The question is:  Is helping MS-Windows users worth a significant amount
> of money and effort for a Linux user group (or at least for members
> thereof)?  For some, the answer will be yes.  I don't happen to be
> among them, and find the arguments usually advanced by advocates to be
> extremely bad.

I agree that principally, it makes more sense for a *Linux* user group
to hand out Linux CDs at an event such as this (BTW, does SF-LUG have
any plans for SFD?), and given that the event is *Software* Freedom
Day, and not *Linux* Freedom Day, prinicpally I would not discriminate
against the OS on which the Software (application) runs. IMO, it goes
against the spirit of some parts of the Open Source Definition.
http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php

I think its safe to say that if the LUGs plan on participating, we
(SF-LUG?) do a CD run of Linux (which distro?) and we (SFSU) will do a
run of OpenEducationDisc, which SFD actually ships to teams
anyway...we just don't get enough to give out.

> (By the way, I am specifically _not_ an "OS advocate" of any sort,
> an activity I find not only distasteful but also pointless when indulged
> by Linux users.  For more, if interested, please see:
> http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/26/1040511127721.html )
>
>
>> Anything that can move a user closer to software freedom is a win.
>
> This particular bad argument does not improve with repetition:  It's
> frankly pretty obvious why giving MS-Windows users additional excuses to
> remain on that platform doesn't "move the user closer to software
> freedom", and never has.

I actually have statistical evidence to the contrary (innovation
adoption of FOSS research), but I have 20 different things pulling me
20 different ways, so maybe I'll share another time.

cheers,
Sameer