[Savannah-hackers] Re: Savannah-hackers Digest, Vol 19, Issue 26

[Mathieu Roy]

>> Please note that when helping Savannah, you act as a spokesmen for the
>> Free Software foundation, thus it must be clear that you will have to
>> use the language that the FSF uses and must educate other users about
>> the goals of the FS movement.
>
> I need to figure out for myself first.
> I understnad the importance of the movement, and it's value, but I don't 
> get why asking others to call something in your name, instead of having 
> your own stuff.
>
> Technicly, I think that calling an OS GNU/Linux is as wrong as calling 
> it Linux.

It is not matter of technics but of history and philosophy.

If you consider that GNU/Linux started by Linus Torvalds start writing
his kernel, then, yes, you should call that system Linux.

If you consider that GNU/Linux started when someone from the MIT
created the Free Software philosophy in the 1980's then you should
call that system GNU/Linux.

As a matter of fact, Savannah is supposed to follow Free Software
spirit, as it originally is a FSF France project and now is run by the
FSF USA, both associations trying to promote the Free Software
philosophy I was referring to previously.

You have a right to disagree or agree with the Free Software
philosophy or the Free Software historiography of GNU/Linux. However,
if you work on Savannah, you have to accept to follow, when working on
it, its spirit.


> Removing the word "Linux" will have the same effect, as adding "GNU", 
> but the first option is the only right way to resolve the problem in my 
> opinion.

Removing Linux from the name GNU/Linux would not be senseless but it
would just mean having lost touch with reality.


-- 
Mathieu Roy

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