[SFS] disambiguation

Sun, 20 Oct 2013 14:33:35 -0600 (MDT)

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I like to preserve the ambiguity of the what the TLA SFS stands for. 

I say Software Freedom School, Society, Saturdays, and Sessions... Sometimes, I even say that it stands for "Software Freedom Something". But, don't let that lead you into thinking that I'm not sure of the purpose of SFS. That is very clear to me, though sometimes it's hard for me to articulate. SFS's raison d'etre is to teach the world how to use free software, and more importantly, why to choose free software. 

Randall Schwartz of the FLOSS Weekly always asks this question, "What problem does your project try to solve?" 

Our project tries to solve the problem of free software illiteracy. We try to make free software easier for schools, for businesses, for amateurs and acolytes, by sharing what we know, and building on it, and re-sharing. We reinforce the important bit, that "free" means "libre", though it usually also comes "gratis". 

When forced to disambiguate, I'll say SFS stands for "Software Freedom School", because it is only here to teach the world about free software. When the software world has gotten over it's dis-trust model, when honorable behavior is expected, not because of a rich tapestry of IP law, but because it's normal, and few people choose to do business with schmucks, when ideas and knowledge are no longer jealously guarded, but instead are zealously shared, our mission will be accomplished, and we can move on to something new, but something tells me we'll be working on this mission for a long while. 

-- 
David L. Willson 
Teacher, Engineer, Evangelist 
RHCE+Satellite CCAH Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 UbuntuCP NovellCLA 
Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267) 

This is a good time for a r3VOLution. 

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<html><head><style type=3D'text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><=
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>I like to preserve the ambiguity of the what the TLA SFS stands for.<br><b=
r>I say Software Freedom School, Society, Saturdays, and Sessions... Someti=
mes, I even say that it stands for "Software Freedom Something". But, don't=
 let that lead you into thinking that I'm not sure of the purpose of SFS. T=
hat is very clear to me, though sometimes it's hard for me to articulate. S=
FS's raison d'etre<span> is to teach the world how to use free software, an=
d more importantly, why to choose free software.<br><br>Randall Schwartz of=
 the FLOSS Weekly always asks this question, "What problem does your projec=
t try to solve?"<br><br>Our project tries to solve the problem of free soft=
ware illiteracy. We try to make free software easier for schools, for busin=
esses, for amateurs and acolytes, by sharing what we know, and building on =
it, and re-sharing. We reinforce the important bit, that "free" means "libr=
e", though it usually also comes "gratis".<br><br>When forced to disambigua=
te, I'll say SFS stands for "Software Freedom School", because it is only h=
ere to teach the world about free software. When the software world has got=
ten over it's dis-trust model, when honorable behavior is expected, not bec=
ause of a rich tapestry of IP law, but because it's normal, and few people =
choose to do business with schmucks, when ideas and knowledge are no longer=
 jealously guarded, but instead are zealously shared, our mission will be a=
ccomplished, and we can move on to something new, but something tells me we=
'll be working on this mission for a long while.<br><br><span name=3D"x"></=
span>--<br>David L. Willson<br>Teacher, Engineer, Evangelist<br>RHCE+Satell=
ite CCAH Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 UbuntuCP NovellCLA<br>Mobile 720-333-LAN=
S(5267)<br><br>This is a good time for a r3VOLution.<span name=3D"x"></span=
><br></span><br></div></body></html>
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