On the structure of the FSF Europe

MJ Ray markj at cloaked.freeserve.co.uk
Wed May 16 09:17:50 UTC 2001


Xavier Drudis Ferran <xdrudis at tinet.org> writes:

> I'm sorry but I don't understand you and many other people wanting 
> to decide what the FSFE says or does. 

You misrepresent me.  I was merely trying to highlight *why* people
may consider FSFE undemocratic, rather than the motive which you are
trying to assign to me here.

I *do* however believe that if the only electors are the executive,
then that will raise some interesting problems later, and that it is
probably unsafe to describe FSFE as democratic in the modern common
sense.

Of course, how FSFE decides to organise itself is a matter for FSFE.
To the best of my knowledge, though, there is no obvious way for me to
become a member at present.  The core is the entirety of FSFE by your
definition.

Digressing slightly, I do believe that FSFE has a power over all of
us: a stated aim is to use the power of its campaigns to lobby for
better terms for Free Software in Europe.  This is something that
affects me and probably many others.  It is only natural to desire the
ability to express our wishes by some formal route.

I also have no problem with Bill Gates having a vote on FSFE, as long
as he pays his dues.  It's only one vote and not the many million
dollars of influence he currently has over many governments.

On a real aside, *why* is the web site in American English?  Not the
best way to appeal to a British audience ;-)
-- 
MJR



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