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

[David L. Willson]

There's always a reason.  Rough love should not be called to account, when it comes with
valuable gifts.  Users (including me) really are whiny bitches sometimes.  We could all
learn to speak more politely.

Twenty bucks to the author of the best haiku expressing these ideas.

On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:39:20 -0700, Kevin Fries wrote
> This was in response to one of the Ubuntu MOTOs degrading the one of the
> end users for complaining that they (end users) are not getting listened
> to.  I don't like to talk about people behind their backs, and I
> mentioned some of the efforts we have been talking about here.  So, I
> thought I would cc the copy to you guys.
> 
> On Thu, 2007-12-06 at 09:36 -0700, Kevin Fries 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.
> > 
> -- 
> Kevin Fries
> Senior Linux Engineer
> Computer and Communications Technology, Inc
> A Division of Japan Communications Inc.
> 
> -- 
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David L. Willson
Trainer/Engineer/Consultant
MCT, MCSE, Linux+
(720) 333-LANS