Bruce Perens Voted off SPI Board 99
An anonymous reader writes "ComputerWorld is reporting that open source evangelist Bruce Perens has been ousted from the board of Software in the Public Interest. Even though he founded the organization he said it was time to move on, stating that he probably shouldn't have run but just couldn't let it go. It seems that for the time being Perens in content to focus on the truly important things, like watching his son grow and making time for his family. I just hope that he isn't gone for too long."
Miswording (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Miswording (Score:3, Informative)
"forcefully ejected"? He was not re-elected.
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Informative)
I think working full-time on Open Source issues of my own choice may be in my future. I'm not sure when, but am reasonably sure I could get that funded now.
Bruce
Re:Miswording (Score:3, Insightful)
That shouldn't piss people off but it is a good reason to not re-elect you. It's better that someone with the time to attend the meetings is on the Board (provided that they are also otherwise suited to the position). That in no way denigrates the other things you do with your time.
Re:Miswording (Score:5, Informative)
But more than that, Bruce made his election a referendum on changing SPI's role from organizing other projects to the role of an activist position against software patents. It's understandable that Bruce wants some place to stand to push his (our) agenda, but the SPI membership decided that the SPI board was not that place. I encouraged Bruce to start up a project underneath SPI, which advice he is yet to take.
Re:Miswording (Score:1, Interesting)
I've always wondered if rich organizations (read microsoft) could hijack the boards of groups like the FSF, OSDL, etc.
IMHO it's already happened with the OSI - largely corporate sponsored, and makes decisions like it is -- but by grooming a few trojan-horse-board members it'd be an interesting way to attack open source.
Am I paranoid, or does this actually sound like it could happen?
Re:Miswording (Score:3, Insightful)
Or maybe you're an idiot?
Re:Miswording (Score:2, Interesting)
Do you know what he states there? He says that the worker, who produces something, should own the resources, so that the worker can build up a relationship to the product.
This should seem common to you. Think of source code, which owns everyone, who owns the product. If you believe it or not, open source has a lot to do with Karl Marx. You can see this like a socialist (NO
Re:Miswording (Score:1, Interesting)
Bruce, thanks for adding your side of the story and thanks for reminding me why I read Slashdot.
Re:Miswording (Score:4, Interesting)
Bruce
Re:Miswording (Score:2, Insightful)
As for the random SPI board, as an old Catholic Priest I used to know said when asked why he did not attend formal meetings, "For God so loved the world, he did not send a committee".
"Slashdot for Grown-Ups"?? Zing! Pow! Wham! (Score:4, Funny)
So, whaddya saying, no ACs and if I want to read about Joss Whedon's grocery list I'll have to call his press agent?
I am *SO* there, Bruce! Congratulations!
(But do you kinda sorta think that your new competitive venture against slashdot is why your own dirty laundry got posted here by an AC? I'm just askin'...)
Re:"Slashdot for Grown-Ups"?? Zing! Pow! Wham! (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't know. Technocrat.net is still very small potatoes next to Slashdot. Makes about $10 a day on google ads, which I pay to Zogger, the only paid editor. I doubt the Slashdot operators would mind a bit. But I do find that stuff I submit is less likely to run than links to stuff I submitted to other sites which are then submitted to Slashdot by third parties. You would think that Slashdot would like to get the news from the horses's mouth rather than some other part of the horse :-) One of the editors explained to me once that they do defensive postings, which means that they get so many people submitting the same article that they post it just to get them to shut up, but they really did not want to run that story at all. Maybe that's what happened this time. Interesting the effect that the internet has on editorial policy.
Bruce
Re:"Slashdot for Grown-Ups"?? Zing! Pow! Wham! (Score:2)
Re:"Slashdot for Grown-Ups"?? Zing! Pow! Wham! (Score:2)
http://adblock.mozdev.org/ [mozdev.org]
errrr never mind...
Re:Miswording (Score:2)
Re:Miswording (Score:2)
Bruce
Re:Miswording (Score:2)
Ah, if only the rest of us could get such an opportunity! (Speaking of which, do you have any suggestions for a computer science student/Free Software advocate like myself?)
Re:Miswording (Score:2)
Biting off more than we can chew... (Score:1)
I see the change as a good thing -- if Bruce can keep the personal finances going well to have party-time Sourcelabs and part-time focused advocacy, then this is great! I've met Bruce in the past, and have seen him present a number of times, and am glad that he is putting a priority on some of the advocacy work. Sometimes organizations will come with
Re:You're Fired! (Score:2, Redundant)
Not that I was fired for such, but you really had to see that at least once - all "the disadvantages" of using open standards as they are depicted by sales and marketdroids: competitors can "steal" your business!!!
Open source solves half of proprietary software problem. And Perens was one of the first who started working in direction of advertising open standards.
Many products try to establish and distance themselves by imp
Re:You're Fired! (Score:5, Interesting)
I guess it's a human-interest story.
I have this self-imposed job of helping to ease the future course of Open Source by attempting to solve problems in its way like the software patent issue. A big part of that is being an "opinion leader", which is writing stuff that other people read and, hopefully, agree with. Getting attention for such stuff means courting the press like Computerworld (which did not create the cited article but is carrying a LinuxWorld Online story) and Slashdot. The press is capricious. They don't cover what I want them to cover. They must be pandered to and babied, cajoled, you get the picture. Being a notable person whom they will recognize and cover - regardless of the content - is something you have to do just to get the real issues covered. That doesn't mean we have to like it.
Thanks
Bruce
TFA explains it (Score:5, Informative)
>> Perens disagreed with the direction HP was taking on its Linux platform when it merged with Compaq.
A company that fires you when you disagree with them is most emphatically a company that you no longer want to work for.
Bruce has principles and doesn't toe the company line when it seems wrong. In my book, that's a good thing.
Re:You're Fired! (Score:5, Interesting)
Hm. Perhaps I should be deported or something :-) Maybe tried for treason. I'll think of something :-)
It's somewhat frustrating that internal conflict of Open Source always makes more news than the outward-facing work that I'm doing. There have been much more important issues that I was unable to get Slashdot to cover.
Bruce
Re:You're Fired! (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:You're Fired! (Score:1)
more important?! than gossip? here?
Re:You're Fired! (Score:2)
What with the DMCA and concerns about "ter'rists" using Free Software encryption programs, I bet you could probably swing that (unfortunately)!
Re:You're Fired! (Score:2)
Now's your chance to do an end-run around the editors. Why don't you post a couple of stories that you would like to draw more attention to below this, or the parent, comment? I know I'd be curious to see what else is on your mind, and I'm sure many other
Re:You're Fired! (Score:2)
Then you must infiltrate Slashdot! Become an editor. Hell, if Jon Katz can do it, anyone can!
Re:What? (Score:3, Funny)
See also the previous story: "[...] defining what a mashup really it" = really IS.
Two "is" errors in two consecutive summaries. What's going on here? Are they trying to subliminally tell me that mashups are the new "it" thing? Or that Perens is incontinent? Does it depend on what my definition of "is" is?
Beware spellcheckers, they lead to a false sense of correctness.
The real question (Score:4, Funny)
But for me the real question is whether it is time for a magnetic floating bed? [slashdot.org]
What is SPI? (Score:4, Interesting)
You're Fired! (an ego problem?) (Score:2)
Re:You're Fired! (an ego problem?) (Score:5, Informative)
Ever hear me on the air? Not much time for ham radio right now, either. I made it to Dayton and turned down a position on the TAPR board. So much to do, so little Bruce. Sigh.
Re:You're Fired! (an ego problem?) (Score:1)
Re:You're Fired! (an ego problem?) (Score:2)
I hear ya. I'm sure I've heard you on the air at some point. I'm fairly active in using packet for tactical disaster comm, but I hadn't heard anything really useful come out of TAPR in some time. I guess now I'm in Sedona, I need to revisit the issue. I've gotten really, really busy with a horse business I got involved in, and most of m
No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:5, Funny)
I for one welcome our... ahh never mind that won't work here.
DK
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:5, Interesting)
How the hell can rumours spread when the darned subject PUBLISHES HIS PHONE NUMBER ON THE INTERNET. This is no fun at all! :-)
FYI:
10 times as many people are willing to converse with me on slashdot as to send me an email.
10 times as many people are willing to email me as call on the phone.
So, the phone calls end up being managable. This is a social phenomenon worthy of study. Something about the relative intimacy of various forms of communication and willingness to engage in them.
Thanks
Bruce
Mod parent down! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Mod parent down! (Score:1)
Hi Bruce.
What phone number would I call if I wanted some real good phone sex?
How many
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:1)
If I called you on the phone I'd say (Score:5, Insightful)
You're an inspiration to many.
By the way, I have a buddy who was up until very recently working in Montreal for a fairly big hardware/software firm. His wife got offered a job with Cisco in the US (South Carolina) and they (plus their two children) decided to move.
This meant (for him) abandonning his well-paying, well-established job.
I asked him what he planned to do for a job down in Raleigh, he answered "Take care of the kids"
"What?"
"Yup, that's it, that's all. I've been too busy with a million activities" he went on "I want to take care of my kids"
I thought about for a second, smiled and said "Those kids will be luckier than most"
Re:If I called you on the phone I'd say (Score:5, Insightful)
Thanks
Bruce
Re:If I called you on the phone I'd say (Score:2)
Raleigh, *NORTH* Carolina -- I know few people care, but those of us from NC are a possessive bunch.
I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly, though, nitpicking aside. Being able to put family and life first is one of the best decisions anyone can make, especially for people like Bruce with such a wide range of in
Re:If I called you on the phone I'd say (Score:1)
How far is that from Mount Pilot?
Re:If I called you on the phone I'd say (Score:2)
Dunno...probably the same distance as "funny" was from your comment?
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Hope you don't get too many weirdoes calling you
(PS mod parent up)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Bruce
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:1)
You don't have to endure the sales calls I get.
Then again, now that you've published your mobile number...
Reasons for phone call. (Score:1)
I'm really important and I'm lonely. So if I call you, will you hand the phone to the nearest hot chick? Preferably one who is a Linux freak and video game robot?
More on the subject of the story (or maybe not) yesterday my kidney doctor told me next month she was going to work once a week so she could see more of her kids. What a coincidence.
Anyway, why not make technocrat.net P2P? I know at least The Circle [thecircle.org.au] has a way of filtering out undesireable posts using P2P. There really needs to be a good P2P new
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Thanks
Bruce
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Best of luck to you with everything.
Bruce is correct - remember Steve Wozniak phone? (Score:2, Interesting)
In the early 1980's Steve Wozniak still had a published phone #. (actually 2 published #s I believe, one was a polish-joke-of-the-week answering machine, the other was in his den)
But you could still call the two lines. Steve Wozniak did not mind callers, and had a lot more fans and interested parties in 1983 than Bruce typically has.
I think Bruce is a stand up guy and to be RESPECTED.
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:1)
Then people would call just to demonstrate they'd figured it out. And also some poor old grandma would be bothered by the rest who didn't figure it out properly. ;-)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
Something about using the least intrusive means of communication that still has a reasonable chance of success, I think.
People are naturally reticent about wasting others' time or being too intrusive. If they have a reasonable expectation of getting a response on a forum, they will go that route, if not - e-mail, if not - IM, if not-phone, if not - they'll door-step you.
Re:No more comments from Bruce, please (Score:2)
I'd say it's more a function of the natures of the different modes of communication, and common courtesy. First, phone calls are different from emails because they're synchronous (both parties have to be communicating at the same time) and emails aren't. Second, emails are different from Slashdot comments because t
The code, the code! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:The code, the code! (Score:1)
Re:The code, the code! (Score:2, Funny)
Dead (Score:5, Funny)
Rich.
Re:Dead (Score:2)
Re:As someone who was there (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent posts under his name, Parens posts his Email address, Parens post his freaken cellphone number, you post Anonymous Coward.
Re:As someone who was there (Score:3, Interesting)
Some of my best friends are people I disagree with on many issues because they are passionate about things and give a damn. They usually want the same things I do, we just see how to get there differently. I can always get along with someone like that even if occasionally they piss me off.
Re:As someone who was there (Score:2)
Thanks, Bruce (Score:3, Interesting)
Good luck with the software patents thing. You obviously understand how important it is, and many of us here do too. Thanks for spending your time on it.
priorities (Score:2)
"No one ever got to the end of their life and looked around and said 'I wish I had spent more time working'"
You go Bruce.