[sf-lug] Big progress on launchpad's bug number one

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Christian Einfeldt (einfeldt at gmail.com):

> One of the biggest challenges for free software is bringing money into
> FOSS communities.

This is the traditional excuse for pretty much every grab of user
privacy and money.  E.g., Canonical has trotted it out repeatedly.

> I see Google as being more FOSS-friendly than Microsoft, and so I am
> happy to see Google ChromeOS grow in popularity....

Statement is non-sequitur because it conflates the merit of Google, Inc.
with that of ChromeOS preloads.  Those are distinct things.

> I don't see Microsoft making serious contributions to the Linux
> kernel, but Google does.

Conflates the merit of Google, Inc. with that of ChromeOS preloads.
Those are distinct things.


> But until that happens, FOSS communities need to partner with commercial
> entities, and those commercial entities are going to have warts.

Going from a proprietary OS where you at least have local control of
data to a proprietary OS where by default you don't (and are data-mined
pretty much on everything you do) is 'warts'?  Dermatology is not for
you, then.

> But at least Google is heavily dependent on free software for
> their survival....

Clue:  Google, Inc. bought DoubleClick for US$3.1 billion cash in 2008.
What does that tell you about who are their customers, and who are their
product?


> Rick's point is well taken, that we could go from the frying pan
> (Microsoft) to the fire (Google tracking).  But we have to start
> somewhere, and if Google ChromeOS will help people see that it is easy
> to use GUIs other than just Microsoft offerings, I am in favor of it.

I'm not stopping you from buying a pallet full, man.  Go to town!