Re: [fsfc-discuss] "FSF Canada"

[Richard Stallman]

       Unlike the lawyers on the pro-DRM side of the debate, Mr. Geist will 
    talk to technical people.  I don't know if he always understand us, but 
    he is quite open to the conversations.   I consider him an asset to our 
    community, even if he isn't one of us..

There is a misunderstanding.  I did not suggest you should try to
convince Geist to change.  I already tried that, and failed.  Please
don't spend another minute in that blind alley.

What I suggested is that you should talk to the public and/or MPs
about "digital handcuffs".

If you want to speak for the FSF in Canada, say what the FSF says.
Talk about "digital handcuffs", not "locks".

       Given the "digital locks" term is already there, it may be too late 
    for us to change during this specific battle. 

With all due respect, this approach is total confusion.

What would it mean to "change this"?  Change the term most others use?
That is an artificial, impossible goal, and it's not necessary either.

You can't "change this".  What you can do is influence some people.
how can you influence people as much as possible?

By saying the right thing.

                                                    This is why I've turned 
    to talking about "the two locks of DRM", talking about an 
    anti-interoperability/anticompetitive lock on content and a non-owner 
    lock on our devices.

You adjusted your rhetoric to be closer to the weak rhetoric that we
want to replace.  All that does is reduce what you can achieve.  It is
a misguided approach.

The way you influence the most people is by saying "digital handcuffs"
so that the most people hear it.  If you hope to influence MPs, say
"digital handcuffs" to MPs.  If you hope to influence the public,
for future battles, say "digital handcuffs" to the public.

Do as much of this as you can, in whatever time is available, and you
will achieve as much as possible.

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org  www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
  Use free telephony http://directory.fsf.org/category/tel/