[Fsf-india] Sorry about starting the flame-war...

[E. Krishnan]

On Mon, 18 Mar 2002, Frederick Noronha wrote:

> Dear friends, 
> 
> I am really sorry for starting a really heated (and sometimes
> almost-aggressive) flame-war on the GNU/Linux vs. Linux debate.


I don't think you need to apologize. War of words are nothing new to this 
list. 


> Much as I respect the work of RMS -- for the great contribution he has
> given to humankind in terms of untraditional and liberating
> approaches towards software -- I also have high regard to Atul
> Chitnis' work in spreading Linux to lakhs of users across India. (Apart
> from other things, like LinuxBangalore2001, etc.)

I for one am bound to agree that there's some truth in this.


> ... and what strikes one as a deliberate playing-down or
> sidetracking of the 'free' (or low-cost aspect of GNU/Linux) which has
> tremendious implications to countries like India, in a market which is
> very price-sensitive. You're talking about two-thirds of humankind!

I don't know whether there's a "deliberate" attempt to sidetrack the issue 
as you say, but I agree with you that the low cost nature of GNU/Linux is 
indeed significant in the Indian context. 


> Without intending to spart off any other flame-wars,..... 


Once again, I feel that many of us have to learn a thing or two from RMS 
when it comes to participating in a a debate. The precise and sober 
language and the respect for the opposition..

Some examples

  "Every person, every company, and every government agency ethically
  ought to develop and use just free software.  And they all should
  understand this as an ethical imperative. 
  However, we must not be too harsh and condemning as we try to teach
  this principle to others.  If we take that attitude, they won't listen
  to us.  And we have to recognize that there are degrees of good and
  bad--it is not just black or white."


  "The Open Source Movement fails to oppose proprietary software as
  strongly and as deeply as we do, but does argue against it to some
  extent.  It advocates doing the right thing, but not fighting hard to
  do the right thing, and not for the most important reasons.  This is
  not evil.  This is good, but vague and confused.

  The right way to treat a group that is vaguely good but confused is to
  teach them, not to condemn them."
 
-- 
Krishnan