Request: please consider clarifying the project's position on Spins

[Greg DeKoenigsberg]

> I posed a question in the last board meeting that I'll re-pose here:
>
> Are we, Fedora, in the business of:
>
> - #1 Showcasing all the various free software desktops available -
> making it easy to switch desktops
>
> OR
>
> - #2 Building a coherent, usable operating system from selections of the
> best free software has to offer such that free software can reach a
> wider audience?
>
> I really care very passionately about #2, which is why I do silly things
> like volunteer with the Girl Scouts and teach them how to use Fedora. To
> my great dismay I've had people from clubhouse #1 tell me 14-year-old
> girls have no business using Linux. It's that kind of attitude that
> makes me feel we have to fight even harder for #2.
>
> What's the point of working on free software if it can't help the people
> who need it? The people who don't know what a DE is and really don't
> care as they'd rather spend their time writing their resume or creating
> new songs with Fedora?


Mo, this is a false dichotomy.  I also believe that it's unfair.  To claim
that the GNOME-centric vision is the only vision that could *possibly* help
users smacks of hubris, to me.

I don't see anyone seriously disputing the GNOME spin's position of
dominance.  It has the biggest chunk of Red Hat's resources behind it, it
has the most mindshare of all the spins, it has the most real estate on the
web site, it has the most PR around it.  It is the "winner", for lack of a
better term.

The question is, how do we treat everyone else?  How do we treat people who
have a vision that is not the GNOME-centric vision of the world?

I think that we should treat them with the respect they are due.  I think we
should say "our primary focus is the GNOME Desktop, but your work is also
very valuable, and to that end, we can promise resources X and Y, and even
though we can't promise resources Q and Z, we're willing to have
conversations about how to grow those resources so that, one day, we can
offer them."

That's the conversation I'm aiming for.  I hope others who feel the same way
will join in.

--g
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