[LUAU] Hello - My Name is Scott

Angela Kahealani angela at kahealani.com
Wed Mar 26 23:43:34 PDT 2008


On Wed, 2008-03-26 20:04:08 808blogger wrote:
> <disclaimer>
> I run 100% open source
> I am a parent
> </disclaimer>
> Having nothing to do with hosef i'll chime in.
> the hosef group seems ( by looking at the photo gallery and projects)
> focuses a lot on hardware for some reason. This was made clear when
> reference was made about the hosef listserver(the physical machine
> from what I interpreted). Why the focus on the machines? 

I think it's often easier to gift a fully functional computer into the 
community, made from FLOSS and e-waste, than it is to convince an 
existing computer owner to risk their own hardware on that radical 
FLOSS stuff. Once they see how well it works, they become converted,
and more willing to convert more of their computers to FLOSS.

Nobody is interested in software.
Nobody is interested in hardware.
Everyone wants practical solutions to problems,
and that often requires a functional combination
of hardware and software, so it only makes sense,
to go solve a problem with a packaged deal..
and how sweet it is if that packaged solution costs $0,
and also reduces the size of Hawai'i's landfills.
Scott has been providing these solutions where they were needed most,
where the $ simply weren't there for the alternatives, so, yeah,
he's been majorly focussed on the Free (as in beer) FLOSS,
and less on the Free (as in freedom) aspect of FLOSS,
so be careful what you ask for, as this sovereign minded freedom 
advocate has been very politely staying *on* *topic* in this forum,
rather than ranting about the FREE DOMINION aspect of FLOSS, but,
if you really wanna go there, I'm game.
Either GPL3 or GPL2 just beats the kukai outta the alternatives offered 
by Steve MacJobs or Bill "Monopoly" Gates.

> Hosef also seems to focus a lot on children. This is very commendable
> but does very little for the long term effective goal of open source
> advocacy. 

Actually, it is a long term strategy, the same one played by MacApple 
and by Microshaft, who've for many years offered steep discounts for 
school installations, in order to try to brainwash the next generation 
into learning computers on their particular flavor, with the hope 
they'd grow up to be consumers and corporate influencers who bought 
what they learned on. So, HOSEF actually is doing a long term modality, 
and maybe what you really want to see is something more focused on the 
short term.

> Hosef also seems to have a business allergy. Hosef should 
> be educating businesses how to leverage open source software to their
> benefit and bottom line. When business start become useres and
> understanders of open source the result will be more open source at
> home and at schools. 

We might say that for the mere investment of a measly $50 per year or 
so, that businesses can subscribe to both Linux Magazine and Linux 
Journal, and become educated on Linux use in business. I haven't seen 
much in either magazine other than one brief mention of K12LTSP, that 
seriously supported schools and keiki. On the other hand, I'm well 
aware that there are a number of schools around Hawai'i who'd be 
without computer programs for keiki if it weren't for HOSEF's K12LTSP 
computer lab installations. FLOSS has always been a comunity thing.
FLOSS only exists because of altruistic technical community. HOSEF 
(Scott) has been instrumental in perpetuating that community by getting 
FLOSS and e-waste into schools to create the next generation of people 
who appreciate FLOSS.

> Hosef needs to be much more involved in the 
> business community. The for the children bit seems more like a
> novelty and "cheapens" the image of the oss community. 

It's harder to get "cheaper" than FREE (as in beer).
You can't possibly "cheapen" the FLOSS community, it's already $0.
What might be useful is to emphasize the FREEdom aspect of it.
Steve MacJobs and Bill Monopoly Gates haven't learned how to maintain 
committed relationships, they always break it off after 3 years, 
whereas FLOSS will actually keep your hardware running until it dies,
so as far as cheap dates go (cheap as in lacking real love, yet actually 
expensive in terms of $) you can't beat MS or Mac, whereas FLOSS is 
cheap at $0, but will love you cuddly penguin style for the life of 
your hardware.

> Moving 
> machines and installing ubuntu for kids seems like a very low level
> of operation.

Kids and underfunded schools simply have more open minds,
than old farts who are already habituated into things like MicroShaft.
The successes of HOSEF in the area they've focussed, has built a 
reputation, which not even the latest infighting can do away with,
and it's no secret that the vastly major percentage of energy which
built that reputation came from Scott Belford.

> Helping people make money with oss != evil

...and the history of Red Hat and Fedora
which is an excellent example of FLOSS for profit,
owes a boatload of thanks to Scott Belford, and UH
(sorry, I forgot the name of the guy at UH who,
together with Scott, launched Fedora Core).

> Just my 2 cents worth..

probably worth more than 2 cents even if only due to inflation,
but how about being bold enough to actually share your name with us?

Aloha, Angela Kahealani

P.S. it came as a shock to me to learn, some time after the fact,
that I was actually the first human being to make a $$ donation to
HOSEF. I would encourage the board to make peace with Scott. Yeah,
I know that Pluto opposing Mars makes for a war-like "vibe", but,
it's time to put the community ahead of personal issues.

-- 
"(I'll) Be Seeing You..."    All information and transactions are
private between the parties, and are non negotiable.   All rights
reserve without prejudice Angela Kahealani.  http://kahealani.com



More information about the LUAU mailing list