[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk and Digium

[steve szmidt]

After seing things readily get out of hand on some subjects I offer this data:

How do you bring down a group like Asterisk? 

You split it up. You create friction and fractions : ) within the group. Now 
you have the group fighting itself.

Anyone who has a valid concern about f.ex. the license Digium has, should take 
good care in how he spreads that view. I see people who spread this kind of 
misinformation as a threat to the group. 

What is your actual intention? And what effects are you creating? 

If you are continuing creating friction in a group that don't have a problem 
with the licensing in the first place, then your intentions must be to bring 
down this group. And even if that's not your intention, that's the direction 
of your actions.

People should be aware that Asterisk DOES pose a real threat, together with 
the rest of the Open Source, against entrenched businesses. They have a REAL 
good motivation not to let this cat out of the box.

Some people don't really understand what they are doing and help undermining 
the group by pushing angles and views that breaks up the unity of the group.

For example the programmers that are contributing code to Asterisk do so of 
free will. They have each one of them agreed to the licensing with Digium. If 
you don't want your code inserted with the main code you don't need it.

ANYONE WHO IS NOT CONTRIBUTING CODE BUT WHO IS SPREADING THE WORD ON HOW 
"WRONG" SOMETHING ABOUT IT IS, IS UNDERMINING THE GROUP! And most likely, 
that is their intentions too.

This may seem harsh and unfriendly but is nevertheless true. Engaging in a 
discussion, beyond simply pointing to the FACTS, is aiding such a person. 

If someone have an honest concern with such issues, they should pursue that in 
a manner that was not destructive to the group. Why unsettle people just 
because you don't yet know if you even have a valid point? Get it validated 
with the proper sources. Check with an attorney and or FSF. Share the result 
with Digium. Whom, if you found a proper problem, would act to resolve it.

If Digium refused to deal with this new problem, then and only then would it 
be proper to inform the group with ALL the data, so they can educate 
themselves and see if They care. It should be a CLEAN FACTUAL MESSAGE.

Crying generalities or arbitraries does not help anyone as it cannot be acted 
upon. They are simply destructive or at best a waste of peoples time. 

A percentage of the population seem bent on being more destructive than 
helpful. They seem unable to do something without causing more damage than 
help. We have all seen such people in our lives. Let's not help such people 
keep a foothold in this group!

-- 

Steve Szmidt

"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety 
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
                                Benjamin Franklin