[Fsf-friends] Linux, GNU/Linux... etc
Frederick Noronha
fred@bytesforall.org
Mon, 30 Dec 2002 00:02:26 +0530 (IST)
After getting to understand the issues involved, it seemed to me that
using the term GNU/Linux is a nice way of giving credit where credit is
due -- to both the Free Software ideal and the kernel developers' work.
But I got a bit peeved by what almost comes across as attempts to act as
if the Free Software campaign didn't exist, and that Linux (I mean the
kernel) evolved in a vacuum.
Maybe as a knee-jerk response, I just changed the name of the irregular
ezine put out below. Well, I guess what you see depends on where you
stand. Some interesting feedback came in. Let me share it with you on this
list.
Perhaps persons who prefer to drop the term 'GNU' from GNU/Linux, might
end up responding angrily if the term 'Linux' is used in a smaller
typesize. Ideally it would be nice if we could all work together, and give
each other credit where credit is due.
Your comments -- brickbats too -- are welcome. FN
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 18:37:51 +0530 (IST)
From: Frederick Noronha <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: NEWSLETTER: GNU/LinuxIndia Dec 27, 2002
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Formerly LinuxInIndia * Compiled by: Frederick Noronha * Dec 27,2002
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... ... ... ...
SOME FEEDBACK TO GNU/LinuxINDIA NEWSLETTER:
From: Arun Sharma <arun@sharma-home.net>
I understand that you can't fit an ASCII art logo mentioning
"GNU/Linux India" in 80 columns, and hence had to abbreviate "Linux"
part a little bit. But given all the controversy about the term
"GNU/Linux", I find the above logo in bad taste -- it almost seems
like you're posting about "GNU India", when in fact, the message is
about what I'd normally call "Linux". I'm sure you could design a
logo that displays "Linux" more prominently.-Arun
From amish_munshi@sify.com Fri Dec 27 17:07:26 2002
Can you change this artwork, it is not readable. I am very bad at
art work, so I can not provide any artwork, sorry. Overall, it is
the best newsletter I have ever got, very well made. Keep it up. How
regularly will I be getting such rich content?
From paivakil@vsnl.net Fri Dec 27 17:08:37 2002
Wow!!!! What a beautiful logo!!! -- Mahesh T. Pai.
... ... ...
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 22:24:46 +0530
From: Nikhil Shanker <nikhil@ilug-hyd.org.in>
Subject: Re: NEWSLETTER: GNU/LinuxIndia Dec 27, 2002
On Fri, Dec 27, 2002 at 06:37:51PM +0530, Frederick Noronha wrote:
>
> e88~~\ 888b | 888 | / 888 888 ,e,
> d888 |Y88b | 888 | L 888 888-~88e e88~\888 " /~~~8e
> 8888 __ | Y88b | 888 | I 888 888 888 d888 888 888 88b
> 8888 | | Y88b | 888 | N 888 888 888 8888 888 888 e88~-888
> Y888 | | Y88b| Y88 | U 888 888 888 Y888 888 888 C888 888
> "88__/ | Y888 "8__/ X 888 888 888 "88_/888 888 "88_-888
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Formerly LinuxInIndia * Compiled by: Frederick Noronha * Dec 27,2002
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
I share the same opinions as Arun Sharma on LIG. The logo reduces "Linux"
to a single column. GNU/Linux is acceptable since it caters to some
individuals' sentiments, but this looks like an overkill.
I think RMS must be show the logo with "LINUX" replaced with "HURD" with
the same one column layout. I bet, he'd be satisfied with:
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d888 |Y88b | 888 | 888 888 888 | 888 88 e88~\888 I
8888 __ | Y88b | 888 | 88888888 888 | 888ee88 d888 888 N
8888 | | Y88b | 888 | 88888888 888 | 88888b 8888 888 D
Y888 | | Y88b| Y88 | 888 888 Y88 | 888 88b Y888 888 I
"88__/ | Y888 "8__/ 888 888 "8__/ 888 88b "88_/888 A
bah!
>
> SPEECH SYNTHESIS: Rohit Kumar of the Speech Processing Lab, LTRC at
> IIIT Hyderabad points to a speech synthesis demo at
> http://196.12.44.11/~speech/index.htm Says he: "I look forward to
> your responses both about the speech quality and the ease of use and
> understandability of the web interface. PS: For all [GNU/]/Linux
> enthusiasts the speech synthesizer is currently built on Red Hat
> Linux 7.2 and we have tested it with RHL 8.0."
This is insane too. You're quoting a post here, and you GNU-hijack it
within the quotes. This very prominent and noticable GNU-hijacking makes
the newsletter more unreadable. Although the content is commendable, the
we-will-serve-you-oh-RMS-my-l0rd attitude hides the real juice.
Maybe even this comment will only be listed in the "Comments" section of
the next version of the newsletter just like Arun's was. But I've been
looking at this newletter everytime and seeing more GNU than actual
information is really disheartening. The best part is it gets posted to
LI and LUGs. Please note that these its not GLI and GLUGs.
I imply no disrespect to the poster. Its just an opinion.
Nikhil.
--
Nikhil Shankar (nikhil.shanker at acm.org)
Slackware Linux http://www.slackware.com/
I guess that's why people care: Simplicity is Divine.
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