that old GNU/Linux argument

Mark Haney mhaney at ercbroadband.org
Mon Jul 21 20:08:24 UTC 2008


Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> On Jul 21, 2008, Michael.Coll-Barth at VerizonWireless.com wrote:

> Giving them the credit they deserve is the least you can do.  Helping
> us reach more people, not only with the software, but also with the
> philosophy of freedom, would be a plus, and this is the reason we ask
> you to do so.
> 
> Please don't deny us the only thing we humbly ask of you.
> 
> Thanks,


I have no trouble at all with giving someone due credit.  That goes 
without saying.  However, I DO have a problem with  people who act like 
'glory hounds' and demand a name change just to pat themselves on the 
back.

It really was a wonderful thing these people have done, no question. 
But this name change business is silly.  I mean why stop there?  Let's 
change grep to gnu/grep!  Or bash to GNU/bash.  I could go on and on here.

The point I'm making is this.  I have no trouble giving credit where 
credit is due.  I do have a problem with people demanding it.  Those 
people don't deserve the credit if what they did was for their own 
glorification.  To me, this is what this argument sounds like.

This really does sound like some horrible marketing demand by a large 
corporation.  Let's rename everything to include our brand! What a great 
idea.  That will get the word out.  (Anyone ever hear the Lewis Black 
bit about Coca-Cola?)

It's just like I tell my kids, the more you ask for something the less 
likely I am to do it.

Please, take pride in the work you've done, don't cheapen it by acting 
like a spoiled glory hound.  Seriously.

Can we drop this now?

-- 
Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt -- Caius Julius Caesar


Mark Haney
Sr. Systems Administrator
ERC Broadband
(828) 350-2415

Call (866) ERC-7110 for after hours support




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