Prabhu Ramachandran wrote on Thu, Dec 19, 2002 at 11:56:37AM +0530:
,----
| Come to think of it I think item 1 is a little too old and does not
| hold anymore. ILUGC is huge with more than 700 subscribers. Many are
| subscribed with nomail but its clear that we are a large group. I
| think technical questions on FLOSS related stuff is OK for the list
| but dont push your luck with off topic queries.
`----
If ILUGC is to talk only about FLOSS, maybe ILUGC could ask ppl to
post with a '[non-free]' tag attached to its subject when ppl talk of
non-free software in this mailing list? That would atleast keep
people informed that stuff such as Oracle on GNU/Linux is not Free
Software. If a member posts a query / reply about non-free software
with an appropriate '[non-free]' tag, Free Software enthusiasts can
continue ignoring mails with a '[non-free]' tag.
ILUGC need not care explaining what the 'Free' in Free Software is
about, but could atleast prevent confusion by asking ppl to use a
'non-free' tag. Many think that stuff such as Opera on GNU/Linux is
Free Software and I swear it takes a lot of effort from a totally
different angle to understand the free (as in freedom) nature of a
given software. Many donot have the time/patience to figure it out
and continue calling such non-free software as Free Software and keep
the confusion spreading.
It depends on how ILUGC defines 'free'. If ILUGC goes by the saying
"Freedom defined is Freedom denied" will GPLed software be considered
free by ILUGC? because GPL _does_ put a few restrictions to protect
the freedom and as a result removes certain lesser important freedoms.
(as a consequence iLugc itself can't exist because even the linux
kernel is GPLed! hehe... and if my suggestion to add a 'non-free'
tag is approved by Prabhu (or bharathi too?), literally everybody
posting to this list will have to use a non-free tag!)
-Suraj
--
+-------------------------------------------------<suraj@xxxxxxxxxxx>--+
| Righteousness is a virtue unblemished |
| by envy anger greed and insult |
| (emphasis on virtue - 5), Thirukkural |
+--<http://symonds.net/~suraj/>----------------------------------------+
