intro classes?

[Vaughn Treude]

Hello all:
I just resubscribed after a six-month absence, and already I have to offer my 
two cents:

As long as the word "Linux" is in there somewhere, it's cool.  Calling it 
"free software" might make people think it's about free software that runs on 
Windows.   As far as GNU (or not to GNU) I don't think it matters a lot, 
since most non-computer folks don't know what GNU is.  Although this is 
certainly a good forum to introduce people to the GNU project, even if 
everything in the course isn't GNU.   Most newbies won't care about this 
distinction, just things like "Will it run on my PC?  Can I get my email?  
Can I read Word documents?"

As a side note, I've been talking to a lot of non-computer folks about Linux 
lately, and a few have actually heard about it.  Some of them have the 
impression it's a program, not an OS.  "You mean you don't need Windows to 
run it?"  :-)

Vaughn Treude
Nakota Software, Inc.
Custom development for manufacturing / signal processing / communications / 
etc.

On Tuesday 06 August 2002 11:10, you wrote:
> Quoting Brian Cluff <brian@snaptek.com>:
> > On Tue, 2002-08-06 at 01:04, der.hans wrote:
> > > Well, if that's the reasoning for leaving out GNU we need to leave out
> >
> > Linux
> >
> > > since we will be covering exactly zero things about Linux in the newbie
> > > courses. They aren't the place to bring up kernel stuff.
> >
> > My reasoning for not using GNU in the name is that it implies a narrow
> > focus.  For the same reason I wouldn't name the thing "Training for
> > redhat packages that start with the letter A thu G".
> > I'm sure there are some great stuff in those letters, and stuff the OS
> > probably wouldn't work without, but a complete system, that people would
> > even consider switching to, it doesn't make.
> >
> > Brian Cluff
>
> Brian,
>
> I think you are missing hans' point. GNU/Linux doesn't imply a narrower
> focus, but rather acknowledges the MAJOR contribution of RMS,FSF,GNU
> software to making Linux what it is today.
>
> AND it opens the door to talking about one reason we use GNU/Linux -
> Freiheit/Freedom.
>
> Regardless of any personal feelings any of us might harbor about RMS, to
> not acknowledge the GNU contribution is almost like rippng the Declaration
> of Independance from the history books. No RMS = no FSF, GNU, GPL, no
> insentive to build a free OS, mo community AND no one, always there,
> reminding us of the importance of freedom.
>
> Dennis Kibbe
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Everyone should have http://www.freedom2surf.net/
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