Paul Lussier wrote: > charlie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > >> Who: Tim Wessels >> What: Revolution OS ( a movie ) >> Date: December 13, 2007 >> Time: 7:00PM >> Where: SAU 1 office, 106 Hancock Rd., Peterborough >> http://wiki.gnhlug.org/twiki2/bin/view/Www/MonadLUG >> >> From http://www.revolution-os.com/ >> ---------------------- >> >> REVOLUTION OS tells the inside story of the hackers who rebelled against the >> proprietary software model and Microsoft to create GNU/Linux and the Open >> Source movement. >> > > I had completely forgotten about this film. I don't think I've ever > seen it, and I know I'll never make it to the meeting to see it. So I > decided to see if NetFlix has it and I'll just watch it at home. > > They certainly have it, but I'm rather surprised at the description > they provide for the movie: > > For the past two decades, a group of computer hackers, > neocommunists and entrepreneurs has been gradually undermining > Microsoft's monopoly and fundamentally changing the way software > is developed and owned -- a revolution that resulted in the Linux > operating system and the Open Source movement. This fascinating > documentary explores the OS movement's origins and depicts the > grassroots nature of Linux and OS as they march into the > mainstream. > > Neo-communists? I think that's rather harsh. I wouldn't describe the > F/OSS movement as being run by Neo-communists. And, technically, > could a movement being "run" (and I use that term loosely too) by > communists and entrepreneurs ever succeed, given that capitalism and > communism are opposing forces? > > Is it me, or was this blurb written by someone who is ignorant on > several different levels? > Ah, you're someone who grew up cowered by the cold war! Your definition of communism appears colored by that experience. Also communism and capitalism are two different fruits (ala apples and oranges) - communism is a political idealogy, and capitalism is an economic idealogy. Personally, I think both are bug-ridden implementations of what we're living with today (democracy, and capitalism), but I don't have the energy Linus has to fix the world.
What word would you use in place of "neocommunist"? Anarchists? Rebel? Keep in mind that Stallman is frequently referred to as a communist, (although I don't think he's a card-carrying member of the US Communist Party), and that's probably why the author used the term. Probably "Merit-ists" would be a better word - if it existed. I believe the word "communist" is mentioned several times in the movie. --Bruce _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/