Re: [gentoo-dev] Distribution Name

[Aaron Held]

I thought gentoo was short for Generation 2, what do I know.

I've been wrestling with free/GNU philosophy both at a personal level as well as a professional.

At home I use a dual-boot mandrake/win2000 machine and have been boasting about how I only use Linux for my personal and eBusiness
consulting (eCommerce websites)  But the other day a client needed a complex org-chart type map of a project and after spending a
hour time with DIA I rebooted and spent 15 minutes with the Visio spreadsheet -> org chart wizard. Visio isn't free but I never
regretted buying it.

I am also working on a business plan for a "revolutionary" new hardware platform and debating with my other partners (in the legal
and CEO type categories) about the merits of an Open Source vs Proprietary and the intellectual property aspects of the entire
system.  Its really hard to stay focused on a certain philosophy when it goes against what makes good business sense (Although
recently they have been starting to agree with me.  A day or two at LinuxWorld in NYC this week should complete their
indoctrination. I have also been discussing using Linux internally as a desktop as well, and although its great for certain jobs,
like tech support, sales, and people that use a specific piece of SW (that runs on Linux), its not a good solution for creative and
'management' types that need to use certain software apps that are only available on MS.  So even if we sell a product and
distribute open source software with it, we will most likely not be running Linux internally on 100% of the machines.

I guess my point is that while I consider myself an decent open source/GNU advocate I do not personally nor do I recommend others
use only open source software.  I do, however, strive to ensure that all the software I develop, as well as what is developed around
me, is "Free".

So:

My $0.02

Continue to make gentoo the best it can be, with a focus on being as open and free as possible without getting in the way of the
stated goals of the project.


Thanks,
-Aaron
===================================================================
As Isaac Newton would say now:
        If I see further than others, it is because I stand on
        the shoulders of giants too dumb to patent their discoveries.
  (Gregory Palast, http://www.observer.co.uk/ )



----- Original Message -----
From: <drobbins@g.o>
To: <gentoo-dev@g.o>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] Distribution Name


> On Tue, Jan 30, 2001 at 12:43:24AM -0500, Steven R. Baker wrote:
>
> > Yes, GNU/Linux *is* a Stallmanism, it just so happens that Stallman is
> > right and Linus is wrong.  Linux is just a kernel, nothing more.  An
> > operating system consists of a kernel as well as the software that
> > goes into it.  The software that makes up a base system is made by GNU
> > (the compiler, libc, all of the userland utilities) therefore, it's a
> > GNU system.  You can be running a BSD, Sun, Mach, or HURD kernel and
> > still be running a GNU system.
>
> The "G" (first letter) in Gentoo stands for "GNU".  Also, Achim, our lead
> developer, has the last name "Gottinger".  The "G" in Gottinger stands for
> "GNU".  My last name is "Robbins", and the "s" in Robbins stands for
> "Stallman".  Whenever I type a "G", "N", "U" or "S" on my keyboard, you can be
> sure that I do so with full and total reverence towards Richard Stallman and
> the GNU project.  Sometimes, I purposely type the word "snug" and
> tears well up inside me.
>
> Little known fact: Psygnosis US was also located at 675 Massachusetts Ave,
> Cambridge, MA.  I worked at Psygnosis for a couple of years.  We were on the
> sixth floor, and the GNU mail room was in the basement.  Our warehouse was in
> the basement.  We had cool things in our warehouse, like full stock of all
> Psygnosis products, posters, and cool stand-up cardboard Lemmings.  In their
> mailroom?  Two strange women and a bag of mail.  My point?  I'll let you try
> to figure that out.
>
> > Is Python in Gentoo linked with libreadline?  If so, that's a GPL
> > violation.  Don't get me wrong, I *love* Python, but there should be
> > some sort of policy or mechanism that says what can go in to Gentoo
> > and what can't.  Don't you care about your Freedom?
>
> The policy is that we include all the good stuff we can get our hands on.  I
> haven't heard of anyone getting arrested for linking python with libreadline.
>
> --
> Daniel Robbins <drobbins@g.o>
> President/CEO http://www.gentoo.org
> Gentoo Technologies, Inc.
>
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