[IndiChix] Invitation to join FSUG-Goa mailgroup

[Frederick Noronha [फ़रेदरिक नोरो]

Hi,

We are writing to you as you are interested in Free Software issues.
Some of the issues mentioned below have been discussed informally by
some of us, including Frederick Noronha, Vidyadhar Gadgil and Animesh
Nerurkar, after there were moderation and ownership changes in
ilug-goa at yahoogroups.com over the past year or so, which completely
reversed the nature of the mailgroup we had become used to and fond of
in the period 2000-2008.

To get to the point, the only mailgroup in Goa dedicated to free
software issues (ilug-goa at yahoogroups.com) is de facto oriented towards
technical issues only, and discussion on philosophical and political
issues is blocked, under one pretext or another.

This overly restrictive moderation policy and practice run counter to
the principles of Free Software because technical issues are only half
the story. The other, more important, part is the philosophy and
politics which have guided Free Software. If these are ignored, then
Free Software will inevitably become unfree.

Also, such an approach creates serious blocks in the process of Free
Software popularisation, and restricts all discussion to existing users
who have some understanding and experience of technical issues. We
increasingly see this approach not only in ilug-goa but in FLOSS groups
and meets all over the country, and find it exceedingly disturbing.

Whereas we have certain issues with the way ilug-goa is run, there is no
inherent conflict between the two groups – in fact, our differences
would be similar to those between the Free Software movement and
proponents of Open Source software. But we feel the need to create
another space where the discussion will not be restricted, and
philosophical and political issues will get the importance they deserve.

We are therefore setting up a group: fsug-goa at yahoogroups.com. This
group is an attempt to recover lost space, which has been lost due to an
overly restrictive moderation and ownership policy which has been
implemented over the past year or so on ilug-goa at yahoogroups.com .

We (the moderators of FSUG-Goa) will continue to be members of ilug-goa
-- if the owners and moderators of that groups permit this, of course.
We would like to invite all members of ilug-goa (including its owner and
moderators) and other lovers of free software in Goa to join this group too.

The moderation policy of this group will be as follows:
1. Abusive posts will not be allowed.
2. Posts should be restricted to Free Software issues, broadly defined.
3. Members' posts will be unmoderated. Only if a poster offends against
these rules despite three warnings, (s)he will be placed on moderation.
Moderators' decisions on this matter will be taken by a majority
decision of the  moderators (currently three, as below).
4. We believe in free speech. Other rules, if any, will be evolved only
as and when there is an overwhelming opinion that they are needed. Posts
will not be blocked, except under exceptional circumstances, as we see
this as an attempt to block dissent and discussion.

If you would like to join this group, please send a blank mail to
fsug-goa-subscribe at yahoogroups.com. And do pass the message on to other
people you feel may be interested.

Looking forward to having you as a member of this online community.

Regards,
Vidyadhar Gadgil, Frederick Noronha, Animesh Nerurkar


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