6:35 p.m.
Hello,
thanks, Mark, for your numerous contributions over the past days!
Am Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 11:10:23AM -0600 schrieb Mark Galassi:
Q: dudes, I'm confused: what terminology can I use to distinguish
the legacy non-governed GNU from GNU with upcoming governance developed by the GNU
Assembly?
A: we do not yet have a consensus, but we are starting to throw around terms like LGNU
for non-governancy GNU structure, and GNUNG for maximally symmetric acronyming that could
be GNU "Next Generation" or GNU "Now Governed". Or GNUWG for GNU With
Governance.
Personally I would not start throwing around terms, but stick with "GNU
Assembly" for the moment. Nobody else claims this term, so there should
not be any confusion.
Going further, I recently ended a toot with "We are GNU", and by this I
mean that "We are the real GNU". So I do not see a pressing need to coin
a term that will label us as a split-off from the real GNU.
During previous discussions (on gnu-prog-discuss or gnu-misc-discuss, I
forgot), people among our opponents said "this is not the French revolution".
But I tend to disagree, since there is a clear analogy - we are shaking off
the shackles of what on paper is essentially a feudal system, where GNU
maintainers could be seen as vassals to a Chief Gnuisance, who in exchange
grants them the reign over their package (of course, the situation is very
different in practice, but when you read
https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-structure.en.html
the analogy does come to mind). Or if you prefer less pathetic terms, you
could call it a reform. So I see us as the continuation of the GNU project.
Of course, as Ricardo put it in his much more nuanced (and probably closer
to reality) recent posting, not all of GNU will want to take part; I see
the projects and people staying behind more as the "former GNU"; let them
choose a new name for themselves if they wish.
But only time will tell how the adventure will turn out, and using "GNU
Assembly" is also an option to leave all doors open for the time being,
to continue with the FSF or separately, as a totally new organisation or
as a group of subprojects within GNU.
Andreas