Hi Ricardo Ricardo Wurmus <rek...@elephly.net> writes:
> Divya Ranjan <di...@subvertising.org> writes: > >> Similarly, I would suggest the thoughts on improving Guix/Guile to >> look at aspects of the project where we might not be doing the best >> job, or if we can take different steps in terms of reachout. But as an >> user and contributor, please don’t take steps to separate Guix from >> GNU. It’ll be a considerable loss too both the projects. > > Some of the parts of GNU that really matter to us as Guix are presented > at <https://gnu.tools>. The philosophy that was thought up and > manifested in the early GNU project is what continues to inform our > technical decisions today: e.g. no distinction between admins and users, > making software freedom a practical rather than hypothetical freedom, > giving people [not just developers] the tools to take charge of their > software needs, etc. > > Those of us who have had the displeasure of dealing with the > *organization* that is called GNU (for example in their role as > maintainers), however, find it hamstrung by authoritarian governance, > dominated by a few loud cranks who are given limitless influence in all > internal discussions, and see their work devalued by tonedeaf statements > and actions. > I'm someone who came to Guix because of Scheme and GNU, but as the years > went on I stayed in *spite* of the association with the entity that GNU > is now -- luckily, Guix (and with the select links to hackers in other > GNU-affiliated projects) is a much better embodiment of the early GNU > philosophy than GNU itself. That the GNU-internal mailing list that > contributed significantly to this shift has no public archives is both > an immeasurable blessing and a curse. While I guess this list may feel a bit like the Far West at times (I seldomly participate in it), in that there's little moderation and a few individuals have loud opinions, I don't think it's fair to label the GNU people/organization as a whole according to the impression/experience you've had in this private list. Most if not all of the interactions I've had with GNU/FSF people in the last few years have been cordial and constructive (I'm thinking of the people maintaining the infrastructure, e.g. on the #savannah channel on IRC or the GNU Debbugs folks, of the FSF staff sometimes communicating with us co-maintainers, of the Emacs and other GNU packages people I've dealt with when reporting/investigating bugs with them, the Linux-libre people, etc.). I haven't tried convincing the GNU people to review/change their governance structure, though, which I'm sure would need to be made with a lot of tact and humility to avoid the issue becoming a "us vs them" situation. -- Thanks, Maxim
