The FSF Europe recommends: avoid SourceForge

[MJ Ray]

Georg:
> I didn't know about the submission by Loic Dachary to LinuxFR - but then I
> never really asked him not to do it. I told you all the submissions I know
> of, others would have to tell you where they submitted it themselves.

So FSFE doesn't know what its members are doing?  Aren't you keeping track
of your publicity activities, even if only to avoid duplication?

>  mr> What did FSFEurope hope to achieve here?
[...]
> We then tried to resolve these issues with SourceForge by talking to
> them, but after initially offering to solve the problems, they created
> their "you give us all rights, we make no promises" copyright
> assignment and ended the discussion.

Does the FSF make similar requests for people who work on its projects?

If this request is unacceptable, why not create an alternative, rather than
publishing a criticism of sourceforge?  The best things to be backed by Free
Software movement have been those which are innovations and alternatives,
rather than criticisms like this.  If we had had a condemnation of
commercial unix licensing rather than a GNU project, where would we be
today?

> Given the amount of discussion this has triggered, I guess there is
> noone who hasn't heard about it by now, so at least some awareness may
> have been created.

Don't you think that rather a lot of bad feeling towards FSFE has been
created by this publication?  FSFE is now seen as a load of bandwaggoning
whingers instead of a group striving for an ideal and taking practical steps
to achieve it.

> Of course this is uncomfortable and given the amount of admiration
> SourceForge is receiving from some, FSF-FUD replies were probably
> inevitable. Bashing the messenger has been a favorite reaction of
> mankind for centuries.

Well, if you will post SF-bashing, what do you expect?

> Although you seem to have a valid point as only few people truly read
> the replies. If you carefully read the reply by Patrick McGovern, for
> instance, you will find that he says a little bit about side issues,
> but totally ignores the big questions.

Yes, Patrick seems to be a pragmatist and ignores all philosophical/
ideological questions.  (Some of you know that I view pragmatists as
extremely dangerous.)

> Also he offers no opportunity to download the current software although
> Loic very clearly asked for it.