not all change is progress
October 11, 2015
Direct download links:
MP3 &
Ogg
0:03:47 News
0:47:21 OggCamp interview
This week Joe and Jesse were joined by Andrew Gregory, who is probably best known for reaching the semi-final of University Challenge. Oh, and for being part of the excellent Linux Voice magazine and podcast.
In the news, we reported on the Linux Foundation’s suggestion that without Linux we’d all be wearing bear skins and rubbing sticks together for fire. And both with a couple of kernel devs vocally leaving that project, and the FSF turning 30, appropriate and effective communication came further under the spotlight. Later in the show, and with just three weeks to this year’s OggCamp, Joe talked about the joys of the unconference with Les Pounder.
0:00:45 IntroWe are delighted to welcome Andrew Gregory as a guest host. Andrew is deputy editor of Linux Voice magazine, and listeners will probably recognise him from the Linux Voice Podcast.
0:03:47 News
Kernel/foundation(s)
Linux Foundation Says Open Source Code Worth $5
Billion
World Without Linux Video Series Debuts, gets
frosty reception
Kernel
developer quits, citing toxic community; Matthew Garrett
Follows suit
The Free Software
Foundation turns 30
Google
Google Announces New Hardware, Android 6.0 M; Nexus
Factory images available
Android Lollipop remains less prevalent than both KitKat and
Jelly Bean as Marshmallow debuts
HTC exec deems monthly Android security update guarantee
‘unrealistic’
Free and open source Android framework attempts to replace
Google Play Services
Google Chromebooks: The most popular classroom computing
device
Android
X86 5.1 rc1 released
Odds and ends
How
many Ubuntu Phones there are?
Reglue needs help
Raspbian
Jessie is here
0:47:21 Interview with Les Pounder about OggCamp
Les Pounder (AKA The Chief) is one of the main organisers of this year’s OggCamp. It’s a really great event that brings together Open Source, Free Software and Free Culture enthusiasts from all over the world. It’s happening in Liverpool, UK on 31st October and 1st November 2015. All three Luddites will be there along with Andrew and Graham from Linux Voice. It’s free to attend so come along!
I just pulled my headphones out in anger when you, Joe, accused Sarah Sharp of being attention seeking. That was incredibly ignorant of privilege, demeaning and indeed childish – or at least extremely tone deaf.
Having listened on, thanks to Jesse and Andrew for pointing out some of what was wrong with that and to Joe for stating he changed his mind.
As others have said as well, the more talented people are made to feel welcome in floss communities the more and better free code will be written.
But also, there is just fundamentally inherent value to behaving like decent people and building social institutions that are inclusive and non-discriminatory.
I think Joe might have taken the stance he did early on in that discussion in part to play devil’s advocate and generate discussion. I don’t think the view point he was putting forwarrd really applied to the Sharp case though, since she quietly and responsibly transitioned out of her community roles, after publicly calling for change without success, and then posted an explanation to her blog many months later. It hardly seems like a case of someone getting offended once and then publicly quitting to draw attention to him/herself without trying to address the problem (which seemed to be the behavior Joe was criticizing).
Thank you Ouan for plugging back in and listening to the end of our discussion. However it appears that it took you two days to cool off enough to get back to it!! These topics are divisive and show the deep feelings that people have on either side of the fence, but always best to listen through and then rant if needed!!
For another set of views I listened to the Linux Voice podcast after ours (only seemed right given Andrew’s presence) and think they made some thoughtful points.
@Will: I actually had the same feeling about
what Joe said on the show. Not least since he
is usually not one to change his mind so
easily on things (I say looking on my Gnome
desktop).
Also, I agree with everything else you said,
and might want to add a German proverb that
might explain some of the magnitude of the
reaction to her post: Getroffene Hunde bellen
– hit dogs howl.
@Jesse: It of course didn’t take me two days
to ‘cool down’, just to find the leisure and
time to listen on and comment again [and deal
with that bloody captcha]…
I also don’t think this issue should be
particularly divisive, other than dividing
people who are willing to acknowledge others
as people you should show a modicum of
respect and/or civility too – and those who
aren’t. [I also don’t think what I posted
qualifies as a rant in any way.] And finally,
I don’t even think a listener would have an
obligation to listen on after getting annoyed
about something like, or would be lacking
justification to voice their disappointment
about a specific utterance not having done
so.
What I find encouraging is that the majority of the voices that have been raised throughout the community have been positive and supportive of a more welcoming environment.
Joe there is a false dichotomy between “code is king” and people needing to be thick-skinned. As Sarah said, “I need communication that is technically brutal but personally respectful.”
Constructive criticism is important for improving the kernel — personal attacks are not going to help at all. I appreciated hearing Jesse’s response on this news item.
Comments are now closed.
The content of this website, and that of the podcasts produced by the website owners, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.