[Freedombox-discuss] FreedomBox Conspiracy Theory

[Charles N Wyble]

On 07/22/2011 03:49 AM, John Walsh wrote:
> Hi Everybody,
> There has been been a lot of heated and name calling on the mailing 
> list recently;

Hmmm. I think it's the first great discussion to happen on this list 
with any real meaning.
> I think this is quite disappointing for a project with such high 
> aspirations,

I think it's awesome. It brought out issues that needed to be discussed.

> I think the name calling can be put down to "The Great FreedomBox 
> Conspiracy Theory". Basically, the Great Philosopher promised people 
> who gave him money a FreedomBox full of "Debianised" toys from the 
> Packagers, which would do everything to protect Freedom Fighters 
> except mesh computing. Of course, the mere mention of the toys 
> "freedom and privacy" drew donations from Philosophers and 
> Architectures who felt that after donating they had a right to be 
> heard at the Foundation.

Yep. I still haven't seen a full accounting of where that money went, 
what it was used for, how much is left etc.


> Next, the "Is/Is Not" Manifest was published by the Foundation which 
> was so general the Philosophers/Architects started talking about their 
> new toys. After a while one of the Philosophers wondered were they 
> just talking amongst themselves, which caused the Great Philosopher 
> and his Packagers to issue the Great Update and then the Working 
> Group Proposal. Under the Proposal, Architects could talk amongst 
> themselves in their "UI/UX" meeting room; Philosophers could talk 
> amongst themselves in the Peer to Peer Model meeting room, while 
> Packagers got their own meeting rooms such a Networking Protocols and 
> Security Meeting Rooms. .

In my opinion all this over built architecture to drive results is 
ridiculous. The announcement of the technical advisory committee led me 
to state "FreedomBox project is now dead".

FreedomBox is starting to turn into Hurd. This is why I've thrown my 
effort behind Byzantium/FreedomNode cause we are actually moving towards 
release at high speed.
With no money, no high profile Free Software luminaries etc.

> However, before the meeting rooms were built one Philosopher demanded 
> his new toy to be invented now by the Packagers. The Packagers said it 
> was only their job to Debianise existing toys and not create 
> inventions thus revealing the Great FreedomBox Conspiracy Theory.

Mmhmm.

> The Architects realised that it's the Packagers who choose the UI of 
> the Debianised toys. The Philosophers realised that it's the Packagers 
> who choose the Peer to Peer Model of the Debianised toys. The 
> Architects and Philosophers felt their contributions were of no value 
> to the FreedomBox and they were only being tolerated because of their 
> donations. The Packagers felt that they donate money and their time to 
> do all the work so they should choose the UI and Peer to Peer Model 
> for the Debianised Toys of the FreedomBox. War broke out.

Well said sir.

>
> I think the Foundation needs to be honest with if/how non-packagers 
> can contribute to the project and I think a good time to do that would 
> be when the FreedomBox Roadmap is released sometime after the Debcon 
> hacking fest. I will make a couple of wiki posts to scratch an itch, 
> but then I will step back from the project until I see the Roadmap.

I don't see why a roadmap is even needed. Have fun with all the 
planning, architecture, working groups, etc. The 5 or so of us that 
actually build things should have something shipped in the very near 
future. More on this list soon (late next weekend or so should see a 
release).

> At the end of the day, I will buy a FreedomBox because there will be 
> nothing better out there and I am happy if that's my only genuine 
> contribution. Please don't just tolerate me because I donated to the 
> project, I would rather know now, if there is a genuine opportunity to 
> contribute my thoughts and ideas, or if this is a mindless 
> brainstorming session for the likes of me without an actual outcome.
>

It does seem to be turning into a mindless brainstorming session indeed.

FreedomBox is rapidly loosing releveancy in a world that moves at 
internet speed. Have fun being the next HURD.

Ship or die folks.


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