MESSAGE
DATE | 2002-06-21 |
FROM | Ruben I Safir
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SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] bylaws and website
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Joe and NYLXS
I'vebeen asked to attend this meeting in France to give a speach. This is a good opputunity for NYLXS to enlarge its profile and to solidify its relationship with the Free Software Foundation. It's likely that the FSF will be interested in working with us on our Educational initiative.
I think that we need to seize on this opputunity for that reason.
The link is
http://lsm.abul.org/
Ruben
On 2002.06.21 11:35 Joseph A. Maffia wrote: > > Can we please post the bylaws on our website. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ruben Safir" > To: "Ray Connolly" > Cc: "'Ruben Safir'" ; "'nylxs'" > Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 10:34 AM > Subject: Re: [hangout] IBM Space offers and Downtown Services > > > > > > That's something we would be willing to do since > > it's without hooks > > > > I don't personally have contact with them because I never > > tried to get space their. Maybe Jay can look into this > > > > > > Ruben > > > > > > On Fri, Jun 21, 2002 at 10:26:01AM -0400, Ray Connolly wrote: > > > Think there is any chance they would donate a group of machines in a > > > classroom so prospective pupils wouldn't have to buy one to conform to > the > > > class requirements? > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Ruben Safir [mailto:ruben-at-mrbrklyn.com] > > > Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 5:31 PM > > > To: hangout-at-nylxs.com > > > Subject: [hangout] IBM Space offers and Downtown Services > > > > > > > > > > > > There is a bit of noise around the net about the IBM offer to create > > > a tech center and space for Free Software groups in NYC. I feel, that > > > in light of this offer to the community, we need to look at a number of > > > aspects of this development. > > > > > > First of all, I would like to extend my personal thanks to the folks at > > > IBM for their years of ssuport of a number of groups and for providing > > > meeting space in Midtown for NYLUG, GNUBIES, Deludge, and a bunch of > > > other software organization. > > > > > > There has been much speculation about the motives of IBM in making this > > > offer, and how atruistic IBM is towards GNU/Linux. > > > > > > It's my belief that IBM is indeed excited about the prospects for > > > GNU/Linux as a platform to peddle their propeitary software. I believe > > > that IBM sees a future for themselves on this platform, and that the > > > collegiate nature of Linux developement and Free Software Developement. > > > The management of IBM sees Linux strictly in terms of it's ability to > > > generate revenue (and rightly so). I see no moral dillema in terms of > > > IBM's management profit driven motivations to exploit Free Software, > > > and Free Softwares need to create Free and Open platforms for software > > > developement. In fact, I see just the opposite. I want everyone to > > > run Free Software because the moral foundation of the software makes > > > pratical buisness sense. > > > > > > However, I think that Free Software and our user groups, especially > > > NYLXS, have reason for concern about IBM's offer and IBM's current > > > business plan. We should not confuse IBM's agenda for our own. IBM, > > > as a business which provides IT services for enterprises and government, > > > can not accomplish many of the missions which NYLXS, as Free Software > > > institution feels it must provide to the general public. This is most > > > obvious in terms of general computer education, and empowerment > programs. > > > These are not business goals (unless your business is a University) and > > > it still falls on the shoulders of organizations like NYLXS to promote > > > general computer education for the public at affordable prices. > > > > > > IBM's educational offering are IBM specific. This should be of no > > > suprise. They're offerings are peppered with WebShperei, Domino and > > > DB2 offering, > > > neither of > > > which, to my knowledge, are free software. IBM also has licensing > issues. > > > Obviously, they are targeting the use of propietary server applications > > > as their bread and butter on the Free GNU/Linux platform. And they > > > very focused on using GNU/Linux as a means to sell more close sourced > > > propietary products. > > > > > > So while I deeply apreciate IBM's efforts to Free many projects, > > > and to help improve many Free Software products, IBM is not necessarily > > > an all encompassing guardian angle of free Software. > > > > > > It was not long ago that IBM was proposing spyware in every IDE hard > drive. > > > And the company has shown to be at times very sensitive to critism on > these > > > matters, clumsy in their aproach (read the left hand doesn't know the > right > > > hand is trying to patent common software discoveries), and often as much > > > of a threat to Free Softwares necessary political agenda as a help. > > > > > > Putting these issues to the side for a moment, most importantly, our > > > Computing organizations must be very careful to remain finacially, > > > politcally, > > > and organizationally independent. We must be able to make decisions > without > > > wondering how IBM is going to react. There is a real danger of over > > > dependence > > > on handout, not just form IBM, but from ANYONE, at the cost of the real > work > > > needed to forge long lasting and effective organizations. This can not > > > happen. > > > > > > >From NYLXS's prospective, we've already made this error once, against > my > > > better judgement, and I care not to do it again. NYLXS's membership is > > > dependent on volunteer hours, and we will only accept help of this > nature > > > from members. Our members work hard and have a full stake in our > success or > > > > > > failure. This has the benefit of changing the very nature of the > > > conversation > > > between the people we depend on to get things done, and the > organizations > > > leader > > > which is asking to fill the man and materials to get these tasks > finished. > > > > > > If IBM's personel and board of directors wish to pluck $40 on the table > > > and then donate 20 hours of volunteer hours with us, in the trenches, > and > > > as full equal partners, we would love to then use their space for our > > > regular inservices, lectures and meetings. And while we might consider > > > doing a special event with IBM, I see nothing changing in the goal of > > > NYLXS to develope it's own educational space and facilities. We > wouldn't > > > take a dime from them unless they are members. > > > > > > Lastly, I think IBM is making a big mistake be focusing on the server > market > > > for Free Software. I would ask IBM to invest in the GNU Desktop and > help > > > us fill in the gaps of common desktop applications needed to run > business. > > > As long as Microsoft control the desktop, then we are all just grabbing > the > > > tiger by the tail. Microsoft can end IBM's ability to provide services > > > tomorrow > > > if it chooses to. Until we have a large installation of Free Software > > > desktops, > > > then we are at the mercy of others. > > > > > > > > > Ruben > > > > > > -- > > > __________________________ > > > > > > Brooklyn Linux Solutions > > > __________________________ > > > http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting http://www.brooklynonline.com - > > > For the love of Brooklyn http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development > > > in Free Software http://www.nyfairuse.org - The foundation of Democracy > > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and > > > articles from around the net http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/mp3/dr.mp3 - > Imagine > > > my surprise when I saw you... http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - > > > See the New Downtown Brooklyn.... > > > > > > 1-718-382-5752 > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________ > > > New Yorker Linux Users Scene > > > Fair Use - > > > because it's either fair use or useless.... > > > > -- > > __________________________ > > > > Brooklyn Linux Solutions > > __________________________ > > http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting > > http://www.brooklynonline.com - For the love of Brooklyn > > http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software > > http://www.nyfairuse.org - The foundation of Democracy > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and > articles from around the net > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/mp3/dr.mp3 - Imagine my surprise when I saw > you... > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - See the New Downtown Brooklyn.... > > > > 1-718-382-5752 > > > > > > > > ____________________________ > > New Yorker Linux Users Scene > > Fair Use - > > because it's either fair use or useless.... > > > > > > ____________________________ > New Yorker Linux Users Scene > Fair Use - > because it's either fair use or useless.... > -- __________________________
Brooklyn Linux Solutions __________________________ http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting http://www.brooklynonline.com - For the love of Brooklyn http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software http://www.nyfairuse.org - The foundation of Democracy http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and articles from around the net http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/mp3/dr.mp3 - Imagine my surprise when I saw you... http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - See the New Downtown Brooklyn....
1-718-382-5752
____________________________ New Yorker Linux Users Scene Fair Use - because it's either fair use or useless....
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