On Tue, 2002-08-13 at 23:53, Damon Lynch wrote: This is an excellent idea, and if you don't mind I'd like to use this?
I have a suggestion. This survey would best be dealt to an audience of Linux users that have just heard a lecture on Open Source philosophy, with perhaps a touch on the overall situation at Mandrakesoft and Open Source companies in general. Mentioning Loki wouldn't hurt, either. I just realized that basically, we are discussing methodologies for societal reform. > This is partly why I am suggesting to the New Zealand Open Source > Society a survey on NZ Linux users to survey financial support for Linux > distros. I have drafted the following questions, on which folks may > like to improve: > > 1)Have you ever contributed financially to a Linux distribution? > 1.1.Yes > 1.2.No, but perhaps I should > 1.3.No, I never will > 1.4.No, I contribute code instead > 1.5.No, but I do a lot of testing of beta releases > 1.6.No, I use a distribution that requires no revenue > 2)If yes, did you contribute via: > 2.1.Purchasing a boxed set > 2.2.Making a donation > 2.3.Paying for services (e.g. Mandrake Club, Red Hat Network) > 2.4.Buying shares > 3)If yes, have you contributed: > 3.1.Regularly > 3.2.Occasionally > 3.3.Only once > 4)If yes, to which distribution(s): > 4.1.Mandrake > 4.2.Red Hat > 4.3.Suse > 4.4.Debian > 4.5.Gentoo > 4.6.Sourcemage > 4.7.Other: __________ > 5)Do you think contributing financially is a good idea? > 5.1.No, Linux is free and users should never have to pay anything for > it > 5.2.Yes, distribution companies and volunteers have to survive somehow > 6)Is Linux and open source software generally a social good in the sense > of values like openness and cooperation, in contrast to piracy and > secrecy that often accompanies closed source software? > 6.1.Yes, Linux use should be encouraged > 6.2.No, Microsoft is correct when they describe core Linux philosophies > as being like a cancer > 6.3.I don't have a clue what is being asked > 6.4.Other: ________________ > 7)If you answered No to 5 and Yes to 6, how to you envisage developers > of open source software should be paid? _______________ > 8)Do people who distribute self-burned Linux CDs in NZ have a moral > obligation to contribute financially to the Linux distributions they are > selling: > 8.1.Yes > 8.2.No > 9)Do you believe commercial Linux distributions are: > 9.1.Doomed to failure because of the licensing scheme of the GPL > 9.2.Potentially have a healthy future as more people use Linux > 9.3.Don't know > 10)Who are you representing when answering this survey: > 10.1 commercial business > 10.2 government agency > 10.3 non-profit organisation > 10.4 private non-commercial user > 10.5 other: _______________ > > Overall I think a survey like this is a good idea because it would be > useful for: > 1. Finding out the attitudes and actions of NZ Linux users > 2. Potentially be useful to Linux distributions who do require > revenue / income from users > 3. Raise consciousness and debate over the need for financial > contributions > 4. Identify how many users give something back, and not just > take > 5. There would be no identification of who filled it out, so it > should be practically anonymous (except for IP I guess) > 6. Generate publicity for the NZ Open Source Society (which is > just starting up) > > Damon Good work. LX
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
