"What is the Fedora Project?"

[Christopher Aillon]

On 10/08/2009 05:02 PM, Bill Nottingham wrote:
> Paul W. Frields (stickster at gmail.com) said:
>> * ...expects things to "just work" as much as possible, and can
>>    sometimes be impatient as a result.
>> * ...doesn't want to go back to $OTHER_OS, and is therefore willing to
>>    fiddle occasionally -- on the order of 10-15 minutes or less per
>>    month -- to avoid it.
>> * ...accepts that software freedom has certain limitations, but wants
>>    to minimize (and if possible eliminate) any difference in
>>    capabilities vs. $OTHER_OS.
>
> ... here's where I wonder. Do we gain a large base by promoting the
> free software aspect up front, or by giving them something that just
> works and hits their needs, and showing them that it was free software
> that did it later?


I think the latter.  But I don't think we necessarily need to hammer it 
home to the end user.  Keep in mind that we want to also promote FOSS to 
developers who would be otherwise developing proprietary software.  If 
they see FOSS getting a large user base, and decide to go FOSS instead 
of commercial, I think we're succeeding in our mission.