[CoLoCo] Appropriateness of posts to this list (Was Re: evince crash)

[Alex Comer]

Umm sorry make that Scott

On 12/6/07, Alex Comer <alex at platinumcode.com> wrote:
>
> Umm...
>
> I think I missed the first part of this thread, but I can sympathize with
> both your positions. For my part, I love to help other folks and be
> altruistic as well. But there are a _lot_ of demands on my time. If I had
> copious amounts of free time then I could throw time at every issue
> presented. But as time is at a premium, the real question is "why should I
> spend time focusing on this particular issue ... as opposed to some other
> issue?" In other words, I think Kevin might be trying to determine where
> best to spend his limited free time, which is often the quandary I am up
> against.
>
> Alex
>
> On 12/6/07, Kevin Fries <kfries at cctus.com> wrote:
> >
> > On Wed, 2007-12-05 at 22:13 -0500, Scott Kitterman wrote:
> > > For those of us who are volunteers (most of us), the compromise is
> > > someone has to convince me it's worth my time to bother.  So I'd say
> > > the other way around.  The users who want volunteers to actually do
> > > free work for them need to be convincing why I should be bothered
> > > (hint: threatening to switch back to Windows doesn't motivate me at
> > > all).
> >
> > If you need motivation from external sources, then maybe you are
> > misdirecting your efforts.  I am not trying to be mean here, but I use
> > and advocate Linux for many reasons.  Nobody has to motivate me to do
> > so.  I do so because I believe in the platform, and I want it to
> > succeed.  I want it to succeed for selfish as well as altruistic
> > reasons.  Many unpaid hours are spent helping someone get started, not
> > because I need to be convinced to do so.  I do so because I want Ubuntu
> > to succeed, I want Linux to succeed.  And I am not alone.  Many of the
> > local Colorado Local Group, are looking for ways to provide help desks
> > to noobs, to get more CDs out, or even get cards out pointing the
> > uninitiated to online resources.  None of them are paid either.  Nor do
> > any of them need to be convinced to do so.  They do so for the same
> > reason I do... Because it is what is needed to be done.
> >
> > There seems to be this growing trend in the Ubuntu community lately, and
> >
> > I am pretty sure that it is an all bad thing.  The developers, not all
> > but a growing number, seem to think Ubuntu is their baby.  The sweat of
> > their brow, and therefore, only successful because of what they do.
> > While I will be the first to say that these voices are still the great
> > minority, they are getting louder.  And diminish the fantastic work done
> > by so many.
> >
> > There are many ways to contribute to a project such as Ubuntu.  I have
> > offered programming skills, and was treated quite rudely buy certain
> > members of the programming community.  They were extremely territorial
> > and condescending towards my efforts.  I have since decided to focus my
> > efforts elsewhere.
> >
> > The comments above are exactly the attitude we need to guard against.
> > In my current day job, I design state of the art hand-held computerized
> > devices.  Because of my advocacy here, fewer and fewer of those machines
> >
> > are being considered for Windows Mobile.  Because of my efforts here,
> > Windows Mobile is no longer mentioned when new projects come up.  That
> > takes my faith in the project, and the developers ability to deliver
> > that project.  Without the developers, my faith is misplaced.  Without
> > my advocacy, the developers efforts are purely academic.  I am no more,
> > or no less important than the developer, and I expect to be treated with
> >
> > the same respect.  Not looked down upon so some developer can find
> > motivation.
> >
> > In addition to my day job, I am getting a business off the ground.  This
> > business is designed to bring real, solid, Linux based networking
> > solutions to the small and medium-small based business.  A market
> > segment that Linux has not had much success with in the past, and
> > Microsoft is pandering to.  Bringing Linux to a brand new market segment
> > is not easy.  However, I think by doing so, I can build a successful
> > business, allow small businesses to better compete, and advance the
> > Linux and Ubuntu cause.  But I do not degrade the efforts of others to
> > justify why I do this.  Eau contraire mon frer, I praise them.  For if
> > it was not for all that they do, I could not concentrate on resolving
> > the businesses issues.
> >
> > I know that not everybody on this board is American, but one thing that
> > every American child learns in history class is in regards to the
> > American Civil War.  The north finally prevailed with a tactic of divide
> > and conquer.  We learn the slogan "United we stand, divided we fall"
> > quoted by Thomas Jefferson (attributed as far back as Aesop).  And
> > Abraham Lincoln's paraphrase of that statement "A house divided against
> > itself cannot stand" (one of the great speeches of all time).  Ubuntu is
> > strong when we all listen to each other, give each other respect, and
> > stop trying to claim that my problems are more important than your
> > problems.  EVERYONE, end user, advocate, consultant, developer, or even
> > the businessperson that uses Linux for his/her operating system of
> > choice, is in this together.  Or else, we can tear each other apart.
> >
> > It is time to come together, shut our mouths, and listen to the other
> > sides.  It is time to do this so that all of our efforts can be
> > maximized, and focused on the common good.  It time to stop using the
> > word me (also meant in the metamorphic sense such as end user, or
> > developer) and start using the word us.
> >
> > Thats just my $0.02
> >
> > --
> > Kevin Fries
> > Senior Linux Engineer
> > Computer and Communications Technology, Inc
> > A Division of Japan Communications Inc.
> >
> > --
> > Ubuntu-us-co mailing list
> > Ubuntu-us-co at lists.ubuntu.com
> > Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-us-co
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Alex Comer
> alex at platinumcode.com
> 720-883-5493




-- 
Alex Comer
alex at platinumcode.com
720-883-5493
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