RE: tlug: Linux Community?? (was: HTML again)

["Manuel M. T. Chakravarty" <chak@example.com>]

"John De Hoog" <dehoog@example.com> wrote,

> Stephen J. Turnbull wrote,
> >
> > Sigh.  If you don't want to be a member of the Linux community on the
> > terms I defined above, OK.  It's not even clear that the TLUG list as
> > a group, or even a majority, would subscribe to that definition.
> >
> > But is it necessary to try to drive a wedge between those of us who
> > cherish Linux because we've grown with it (and are maybe a little
> > fanatically possessive about it), and those who can benefit from our
> > experience (and there aren't too many with the skills who haven't been
> > shaped by the Bright Side of the Source---where else are non-hackers
> > going to get the advice)?
> 
> What you and the others have done in the early stages of Linux evolution is
> of course vital and impressive. My question is whether Linux is going to
> (wants to/is able to) go on to a new stage where the community aspect is
> less important, and practical considerations become foremost.

No.  In the center, we have the original Linux community,
the core group (the developers in the widest sense of the
word -- I consider somebody contributing bug reports or
technical proposals for new functionality part of this
group).  Around this core group, a new group of Linux users
(traditionally called lusers[1] by the original community)
is gathering.  The latter are less technically inclined and
view Linux more or less as a tool that should function
without them thinking too much about it.  There won't be
many direct contributions from them -- but, I think, it will
benefit Linux if this group gets bigger, because it exposes
more people to some of the ideas of open source development
and some of the lusers will eventually become members of the
core group.

This core group simply won't cease to exist, because
otherwise, Linux will cease to exist.  And as Steve has
hinted at, the attitude of these people won't change,
because the training that you have absolve, to be
technically able to contribute, shapes your mind in many
ways.[2]

Manuel

[1] See Eric Raimonds ``Hacker Dictionary'' or the jargon
    files for a definition.

[2] Actually, from my experience as both a student and a
    teacher of computer science, I think, it is also very
    much a selection process.
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