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www/philosophy greve-clown.html
|
From: |
Therese Godefroy |
|
Subject: |
www/philosophy greve-clown.html |
|
Date: |
Mon, 20 Feb 2017 04:18:12 -0500 (EST) |
CVSROOT: /webcvs/www
Module name: www
Changes by: Therese Godefroy <th_g> 17/02/20 04:18:12
Modified files:
philosophy : greve-clown.html
Log message:
Use 'article' layout, s/<b>/<em>/, Note > Author's note, HURD > Hurd,
etc.
CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/greve-clown.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.17&r2=1.18
Patches:
Index: greve-clown.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /webcvs/www/www/philosophy/greve-clown.html,v
retrieving revision 1.17
retrieving revision 1.18
diff -u -b -r1.17 -r1.18
--- greve-clown.html 19 Feb 2017 18:54:14 -0000 1.17
+++ greve-clown.html 20 Feb 2017 09:18:11 -0000 1.18
@@ -9,34 +9,32 @@
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
<h2>History and Philosophy of the GNU Project</h2>
-<p><strong>Georg C. F. Greve</strong>
+<p class="byline"><strong>Georg C. F. Greve</strong>
<a href="mailto:address@hidden";><address@hidden></a></p>
-<blockquote>
-
-<p>Translation of a speech, given in German
+<p><em>Translation of a speech that was given in German
at the CLOWN (Cluster of Working Nodes—
a 512-node cluster project of Debian GNU/Linux machines) in the
-University of Paderborn, Germany, on December 5th, 1998.</p>
+University of Paderborn, Germany, on December 5th, 1998.</em></p>
-<p>The
+<p><em>The
<a href="/philosophy/greve-clown.de.html">German original</a>
-is also available. Reading the original is recommended.</p>
+is also available. Reading the original is recommended.</em></p>
-</blockquote>
+<hr class="thin" />
+<div class="article">
+<blockquote>
<p>
-<strong>
-[Note: In translating this speech, I have tried to stay as close as
+Author's note: In translating this speech, I have tried to stay as close as
possible to the original speech that I have given in German. Breaking
up the German structures and turning them into reasonable English has
been quite some work, and I would like to thank my roommate Doug
Chapin, a good friend and native American, who helped me with some
phrases and words. The translation will never hold the same emotions
-and implications, but I think we got very close…]
-</strong>
+and implications, but I think we got very close…
</p>
-
+</blockquote>
<p>
During the preparation of this speech, I have read several documents
and spoken to a lot of people. In doing so, I realized that even people
@@ -60,9 +58,9 @@
When a friend asked you whether he could copy a program from you, you
immediately faced a dilemma. There are no disadvantages for you in
copying the program, and it doesn't deteriorate during the copying
-process… it would be more restrictive if he asked you to pass
+process. It would be more restrictive if he asked you to pass
the salt, since you can't both use it at the same time. The politics
-of the companies forced you to <b>choose</b> between legality and
+of the companies forced you to <em>choose</em> between legality and
friendship.</p>
<p>
@@ -92,7 +90,7 @@
completely free system. The GNU FSF worked on implementing them, and
by the beginning of the 90's the GNU system was complete (with the
exception of the kernel).
-The GNU kernel—project name “HURD”—has an
+The GNU kernel—project name “Hurd”—has an
extremely ambitious layout that proved to be very slow and clumsy in
development. Fortunately, at this point Linus Torvalds' first Linux
kernel was in the test phase, and when he saw the work already done by
@@ -128,10 +126,10 @@
into old patterns.</p>
<p>
-The philosophy of the GNU Project says that <b>everyone</b> shall have
+The philosophy of the GNU Project says that <em>everyone</em> shall have
the granted right to use a program, to copy it, and to change it to
-make it fit his or her needs. The <b>only</b> restriction the GNU
-General Public License makes, is that <b>NO ONE</b> has the right to
+make it fit his or her needs. The <em>only</em> restriction the GNU
+General Public License makes, is that <em>NO ONE</em> has the right to
take away this freedom from anyone else.</p>
<p>
@@ -167,7 +165,7 @@
uninspired it may be—is so unique and incredibly personal? The
zeal for control has taken over in a way that even human genes are
subject to patents… although usually not by the people who
-“use” them. Should really <b>everything</b> be allowed to
+“use” them. Should really <em>everything</em> be allowed to
be patented and licensed?</p>
<p>
@@ -198,7 +196,7 @@
rights. Improvements are obediently being sent back to the firm, which
advances its product with them. Basically a gigantic gratis
development division. If we do not pay attention to these
-things <b>now</b>, it might happen that in 5 years we will have to pay
+things <em>now</em>, it might happen that in 5 years we will have to pay
for a version that has been produced by applying our own patch.</p>
<p>
@@ -255,7 +253,7 @@
the time when software was only relevant for a few freaks and some
firms is long gone. Nowadays, software is the pathway to information. A
system that blocks the pathways to information, and in doing so the
-access to information itself, <b>must</b> be reconsidered.</p>
+access to information itself, <em>must</em> be reconsidered.</p>
<p>
When Eric Raymond published the so called “Halloween
@@ -289,7 +287,7 @@
These tactics are usually gathered under the acronym “FUD”
(Fear Uncertainty Doubt), and were used by IBM long before Microsoft
uncovered them. The idea is clear: if you make someone uncertain
-enough, he or she will not dare make <b>any</b> decision,
+enough, he or she will not dare make <em>any</em> decision,
effectively remaining in his or her current position. That is the
thought.</p>
@@ -346,13 +344,13 @@
the GNU Project.</p>
<p>
-Each of us can do his share—be it in form of a program,
+Each of us can do his share—be it in form of a program or
documentation, or just by spreading the word that there is another way
of handling things.</p>
<p>
-It is crucial to explain to the firms that free software is <b>not a
-threat</b>, but an opportunity. Of course this doesn't happen
+It is crucial to explain to the firms that free software is <em>not a
+threat</em>, but an opportunity. Of course this doesn't happen
overnight, but when all participants realize the possibilities and
perspectives, all of us will win. So, if you are working in the
software business, make yourself at home with the topic, talk about it
@@ -368,6 +366,7 @@
consideration of some new ideas. If you have questions or would like
to discuss some things, I'll be here all night and all questions are
welcome. I wish everyone a very interesting night. Thank you.</p>
+</div>
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
@@ -429,7 +428,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2017/02/19 18:54:14 $
+$Date: 2017/02/20 09:18:11 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>