Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 02:41:41 +1000 From: Stephen McKay <smckay@internode.on.net> To: swear@attbi.com (Gary W. Swearingen) Cc: Stephen McKay <smckay@internode.on.net> Subject: Re: Fwd: ESR/OSI's Unix/Linux-history-laden treatise on SCO vs. IBM Message-ID: <200305221641.h4MGffLR016569@dungeon.home> In-Reply-To: <10y910up7t.910@localhost.localdomain> from Gary W. Swearingen at "Wed, 21 May 2003 18:30:46 %2B0000" References: <p05200f42baf03c5204ce@[192.168.254.205]> <20030520203225.GA30587@thyrsus.com> <xxbrxxw0b0.rxx@localhost.localdomain> <20030521032701.GB32155@thyrsus.com> <10y910up7t.910@localhost.localdomain>
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On Wednesday, 21st May 2003, Gary W. Swearingen wrote: >"Eric S. Raymond" <esr@thyrsus.com> writes: > >> It's fine for us to argue about among ourselves. But from the point >> of view of any outsider, you're engaging in a theological dispute of >> *zero* interest. I am therefore ignoring this distinction, very >> deliberately. > >You could easily fix your few overreaches of GNU propaganda, with no >harm to the fact-based logic of your case. What you instinctively aim >to do is to slip in claims about Linux which are untrue from the point >of view of an outsider (even if the claims seems true to those who've >adopted the GNU culture's self-serving language). > >I'm not engaging in a theological dispute... >From where I sit (FreeBSD devotee, occasional Linux user, open/free source convert) this does look very much like a theological dispute. I read Eric's position paper and it looked just fine to me (though on re-checking I find I read one that's about 7 revisions out of date now so I suppose he could have added "I hate BSD" in some dusty corner). I can't see why you are so peeved that while he's defending Linux from the wolves he's not also pushing BSD. I also don't see why he should spend time in a pro-Linux document bagging the GPL. It's Linux being attacked here, and Linux is GPLed. I can understand why some people don't like the GPL, and why some people aren't entirely happy with the GNU philosopy, but this document isn't the place to explore that issue. Wouldn't it be much worse if nobody defended Linux and SCO crushed it? Where would all the "count the angels on a pin head" arguments get you then? Cheers, Stephen.
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