[wellylug] off-topic whining

Jethro Carr jethro.carr at jethrocarr.com
Tue Sep 15 15:11:10 NZST 2009


On Tue, 2009-09-15 at 11:41 +1000, Daniel Pittman wrote:
> Callum Grant <callum.el.grant at gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > I think that there is a time and a place for discussing things like this, I
> > really do, but that place is not on this list as I feel that it distracts
> > from this point in the charter "* To have a good time, meet other people and
> > to make friends." - point being that arguing doesn't help you to make
> > friends
> 
> I have been thinking about this for a while now, before responding.  I am in
> agreement with your statement, more or less, in that argument (and especially
> heated argument) doesn't win friends or influence people.
> 
> I can't agree with your conclusion, though, because it has an assumption that
> isn't accurate.
> 
> Specifically, you assume that if the issue of sexism (or bias, or whatever)
> isn't discussed on the list then everyone will "have a good time".
> 
> 
> Which, sadly, isn't true.  The reason I made the comment in the first place
> was that I, personally, am not comfortable with the language being used.

I believe Callum's point is that the issue was not offensive to a number
of people and the discussion over whether it should or should not be
offensive isn't related to Wellylug.

And I agree - take this nonsense off-list, we have already established
that the term is OK to use and I'm sick of reading and having to respond
to these damn emails.


I'm not saying that people should never discuss these sorts of issues on
this list, but I think we've had enough discussion regarding this issue.




> > If we keep this list purely for GNU/Linux and not having arguments about
> > what essentially are "political" topics, (which you should check at the door
> > when you contribute) this list will become as fantastic and useful as it
> > always has been.
> 
> So, no politics on the list.  No discussion of the GNU manifesto, then?
> No discussion of FOSS adoption in business, or GPL violations, or encouraging
> students to see beyond the Microsoft world they are taught at school?
>
> [snip a lot of stuff]
>
> 
> Now, just to be absolutely clear: if the list charter is about technical
> discussion, or is changed to make it all about technical discussion, or to
> forbid these topics, that is fine.[1]
> 
> I just think you will have a terrible time trying to write up the rules that
> we can use to draw that distinction, because there *is* no simple line between
> what you call "political" topics, and what you don't, in my opinion. ;)

I think most people's ideal of non-political would still permit
discussion of open source in gov, GNU idealogical, etc.

Don't waste time nitpicking over wording.


regards,
jethro

-- 
Jethro Carr
www.jethrocarr.com/index.php?cms=blog
www.amberdms.com
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