Comments on: Goodbye AUUG, hello phoenix http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/ where we're going, we don't need roads... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:04:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Terry Dawson http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-566 Terry Dawson Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:21:28 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-566 It is very true that Linux Australia does not limit itself to the Linux kernel specifically, and it's a rational suggestion that if any of the existing AUUG members who are users of FOSS OS's were looking for some representation that Linux Australia welcome them to its ranks. I believe though, that renaming Linux Australia, in particular losing the 'Linux' would result in an overall weakening of the recognition that the organisation has outside of the Free and Open Source Software community. It may well be true that inside the FOSS community Linux is well known as just a kernel amongst a flood of software, but I believe that outside the FOSS community and particularly in the Real World(cf. Jargon File) that Linux is by far the strongest of the FOSS brands. There will be a time where it makes sense to do this, but I believe it's too early now. Terry It is very true that Linux Australia does not limit itself to the Linux kernel specifically, and it’s a rational suggestion that if any of the existing AUUG members who are users of FOSS OS’s were looking for some representation that Linux Australia welcome them to its ranks.

I believe though, that renaming Linux Australia, in particular losing the ‘Linux’ would result in an overall weakening of the recognition that the organisation has outside of the Free and Open Source Software community.

It may well be true that inside the FOSS community Linux is well known as just a kernel amongst a flood of software, but I believe that outside the FOSS community and particularly in the Real World(cf. Jargon File) that Linux is by far the strongest of the FOSS brands.

There will be a time where it makes sense to do this, but I believe it’s too early now.

Terry

]]> By: Paul "TBBle" Hampson http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-565 Paul "TBBle" Hampson Fri, 15 Sep 2006 03:08:30 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-565 I like the idea of keeping LCA, but changing the L, but I'm not so sold on libre... And I can't come up with a better L-word... liberatedcomputing.conf.au is too long. So how about "Conference of Linux, IT, Opensource, and other Really Interesting Stuff"? I think that encompasses what exactly we're trying to do, with the minor downside of making the website http://clitoris.conf.au/ I like the idea of keeping LCA, but changing the L, but I’m not so sold on libre… And I can’t come up with a better L-word… liberatedcomputing.conf.au is too long.

So how about “Conference of Linux, IT, Opensource, and other Really Interesting Stuff”? I think that encompasses what exactly we’re trying to do, with the minor downside of making the website http://clitoris.conf.au/

]]> By: jdub http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-564 jdub Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:27:52 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-564 <a href="http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-563" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">wildpossum</a>: Oddly, what they've usually got in common is "how to install all that GNU stuff which makes proprietary UNIX usable". Trollicious! ;-) But seriously, there's the usual stuff like Apache, Oracle and so on -- but SAGE-AU totally fits for those use cases. It doesn't have a FLOSS agenda, doesn't care which OS you run (*nix, Windows, whatever), and is an elite tribe of (rightfully) grumpy sysadmins. Perfect! wildpossum: Oddly, what they’ve usually got in common is “how to install all that GNU stuff which makes proprietary UNIX usable”. Trollicious! ;-)

But seriously, there’s the usual stuff like Apache, Oracle and so on — but SAGE-AU totally fits for those use cases. It doesn’t have a FLOSS agenda, doesn’t care which OS you run (*nix, Windows, whatever), and is an elite tribe of (rightfully) grumpy sysadmins. Perfect!

]]> By: wildpossum http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-563 wildpossum Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:17:34 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-563 I think OSS will still be of interest to users of proprietary Unices. They might not be able to do anything about the kernel and related system software, but they can certainly install GNU and other libre software. The vendor should organise their own conferences for the proprietary part. What would a HP/UX user have in common with an AIX user when it comes to the proprietary part anyway? I think OSS will still be of interest to users of proprietary Unices. They might not be able to do anything about the kernel and related system software, but they can certainly install GNU and other libre software.

The vendor should organise their own conferences for the proprietary part. What would a HP/UX user have in common with an AIX user when it comes to the proprietary part anyway?

]]> By: ajax http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-562 ajax Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:04:16 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-562 I suspect more people mentally spell it "LCA" than "linux.conf.au", so if you do decide to change the name, may I suggest the acronym-preserving libre.conf.au. I suspect more people mentally spell it “LCA” than “linux.conf.au”, so if you do decide to change the name, may I suggest the acronym-preserving libre.conf.au.

]]> By: Mary http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-559 Mary Thu, 14 Sep 2006 12:43:43 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-559 James: known to whom? I move largely in communities where it has limited exposure, and the first response on hearing about it is always "oh I don't do Linux... I do free culture/desktop development/legal hacks..." Education is possible, but tiring after a while. Likewise with LA. I think that part of the reason (only part) that the grant proposal scheme has comparatively few applicants is that people's first reaction is "but my event/project isn't Linux it's free culture/desktop development/legal hacks..." James: known to whom? I move largely in communities where it has limited exposure, and the first response on hearing about it is always “oh I don’t do Linux… I do free culture/desktop development/legal hacks…” Education is possible, but tiring after a while.

Likewise with LA. I think that part of the reason (only part) that the grant proposal scheme has comparatively few applicants is that people’s first reaction is “but my event/project isn’t Linux it’s free culture/desktop development/legal hacks…”

]]> By: James http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-558 James Thu, 14 Sep 2006 10:33:30 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-558 My comment seems to have gone missing ... Basically, the proprietory unix people from AUUG could find a home in SAGE-AU, with the free-er unices like OS X and Solaris in a larger, possibly renamed LA. I'd be very cautious about renaming LCA, since among other reasons you've already dismissed (losing the brand, "Linux" being better than open, free, floss), it's already known as a conference that spans more than just the kernel. My comment seems to have gone missing …

Basically, the proprietory unix people from AUUG could find a home in SAGE-AU, with the free-er unices like OS X and Solaris in a larger, possibly renamed LA.

I’d be very cautious about renaming LCA, since among other reasons you’ve already dismissed (losing the brand, “Linux” being better than open, free, floss), it’s already known as a conference that spans more than just the kernel.

]]> By: jdub http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-557 jdub Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:56:56 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-557 <a href="http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-556" rel="nofollow">Chris</a>: I think you've misunderstood my point of view on the 'GNOME' brand. I'm actually more supportive of completely changing the project's name -- and I have spent quite some time pursuing this idea, by the way -- than I am of softening the brand to 'Gnome'. Chris: I think you’ve misunderstood my point of view on the ‘GNOME’ brand. I’m actually more supportive of completely changing the project’s name — and I have spent quite some time pursuing this idea, by the way — than I am of softening the brand to ‘Gnome’.

]]> By: Chris Cunningham http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-556 Chris Cunningham Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:52:20 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-556 I find your enthusiasm for renaming kinda surprising in light of your attitude towards renaming the GNU Network Object Model Environment... - Chris I find your enthusiasm for renaming kinda surprising in light of your attitude towards renaming the GNU Network Object Model Environment…

- Chris

]]> By: John Steele Scott http://bethesignal.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-555 John Steele Scott Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:39:54 +0000 http://perkypants.org/blog/2006/09/14/goodbye-auug-hello-phoenix/#comment-555 If there is to be a new organisation, I also hope its name can express the concept of freedom. Hard to think of a zinger which encompasses both software and the DRM stuff which LA is getting into at the moment though. Another approach is to choose a fairly broad name which doesn't include "freedom", "open" or "nix" . . . there's not reason why the "Australian Technology Users Association" couldn't promote all these things, without promoting unfriendly technologies. If there is to be a new organisation, I also hope its name can express the concept of freedom.

Hard to think of a zinger which encompasses both software and the DRM stuff which LA is getting into at the moment though.

Another approach is to choose a fairly broad name which doesn’t include “freedom”, “open” or “nix” … there’s not reason why the “Australian Technology Users Association” couldn’t promote all these things, without promoting unfriendly technologies.

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