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

[Larry Cafiero]

[Note to self: Don't respond to e-mails until you've had a cup of coffee.]

On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 2:04 AM, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:

> Quoting Grant Bowman (grantbow at gmail.com):
>
> > I respectfully disagree with your conclusion.
>
> Everyone should have a few opinions.  (In fact, it might be worthwhile to
> collect the whole set.  ;->  )


Indeed, and I would like to offer mine to this interesting discussion while
thanking those who added to my collected set throughout this thread.

Despite my opinion that the OpenCD aspect of this event is a portion of the
whole -- the packets from SFD also come with a fistful of Ubuntu 9.04 Live
CDs as well, which (with other distros) should be front-and-center -- I
think Rick is right on the fundamental issue regarding whether handing out
OpenCD media hamstrings the cause of promoting the open source paradigm
going forward.

Offering people open source programs to run on Windows promotes the subtext
that it's okay to run open source software on propritetary operating
systems, regardless of how much we might "explain" the necessity and virtues
of running the same open source programs on Linux/*BSD/OpenSolaris. Further,
it's completely conceivable that offering a CD like OpenCD is both the start
and end-game of a Windows user's exposure to open source because, "Hey, I've
got Firefox and OpenOffice and this GIMP thing on Vista -- I'm open source.
What more do I need? DRM? Who cares? Where's that dramatic chipmunk video I
wanted to show you on YouTube?"

Having said this, we're going to alter the Lindependence/SFD Felton event
(we merged the two this year) to exclude the OpenCD and treat the event as a
celebration of open source and program the event more like an installfest
centered around open source software running on open source operating
systems. Along with the Ubuntu live CDs, we'll have Fedora and Mandriva CDs
available and machines running all three, and anyone who wants to promote
their favorite distro is welcome to participate, as we did last year at
Lindependence. If those who wish to try open source programs on Windows
insist, we could point them to the Web site (i.e., OpenOffice.org, for
example) where they could download them, but it would be up to them to do
so. But the onus would be on them to go forward, not on us acting as the
"enabler" for a potentially counterproductive step in exposing people to
open source software.

I certainly have no objection to Sameer and others burning more OpenCDs, and
I can see their points. However, this is the course we're taking down here
and I thought I'd pass that on.

Larry Cafiero
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