Hi,
another opionion ...
On Fri, Mar 22, 2002 at 02:11:05PM +0100, Eneko Lacunza wrote:
El mié, 20-03-2002 a las 14:31, Jeroen Dekkers escribió:
Marcus, I really think that you undertake the importance that Linux has had in the spread of Free Software ideas.
AFAIK Linux only spread open source ideas.
I don't think so. Most Linux users talk about and understand what Free Software is and means.
I do not believe that. There is a growing number of Linux users who do not know gnu, fsf, lugs or anything like that. Of course, they are more ore less invisible to the community, as they have no contact to us. I know some people who do not know the difference between Linux and a certain Linux distribution. For example, last week my uncle told me that there was only a little Linux booth on the Cebit. After some questions I knew he was referring only to SuSE. I told him there is more than distribution on the world serveral times before. And I am sure there are alread many, too many linux users. Perhaps the FSF Europe should not only try to spread the principles of free software, but also try to encourage the distributors to emphasize (or at least mention) the principles and tell their users about the community.
And please, I hope you're not trying to say that the attacks that is receiving Free Software, are due to Linux.
Microsoft is saying that Linux isn't innovative and they are right. The Hurd is however. ;-)
We'll I think that Linux is innovative in the way it's development goes on. Surely, there are others that do the same. But it's an improvement over Windows. Windows hasn't been innovative anyway, but Microsoft doesn't tell anyone ;)
IMHO the way Linux and free software generally is developed is innovative: working together automatically leads to better results than fighting each other.