Re: [fc] Charter brainstorm

[Thomas Pfau <pfau@maherterminals.com>]

Somewhere on the net someone posted a definition of the term 'FUD'. 
Does anyone have a pointer to it?

ioctlatoi'lseek wrote:
>    *  Point by Point comparisions of differing OS does possibly have
>       a place on site and in discussion, only if done tactifully,
>       and in a manner that cites each and every 'fact' of comparision,
>       so that we may maintain a high level of intergrity.

Of course, this has to include all meaningfull comparisons whether
favorable to linux or not.

>    *  In regards to intergrity and professionalism, the less emotion
>       used in the writing found on site, the more effective it will
>       be in being a catalyst for a non-Linux person to think, not just
>       about the FUD that brought them to the site, but also about
>       Linux itself.   Generally people want to belong to a group,
>       but they do not want that group to consist of loudmouth looneys.

As I've stated before, the term 'FUD' gets thrown around as a quick
emotional response and therefore detracts from the objectivity of the
site.  We are not countering 'FUD' but 'misrepresentations and partial
truths'.

>    *  Opinion pieces should be kept to a seperate area, so that one
>       browsing the site will have it further reinforced that everything
>       But the opinions area is fact, and those emotion based pieces
>       are to be found solely in the opinions area.

I do believe we need an opinions page clearly represented as such.

>    *  A setup similar to most news type sites, where each FUD story is
>       giving a brief summary on the main page, and a link to the refutation,
>       a message board, and offsite link to the original FUD, would be
>       the most ideal and easily navigated setup.

We should have a page where we list articles which misrepresent linux
and associated rebuttals.  Recent misrepresentations could be listed on
the main page.

>    *  For a name I may suggest ...
> 
>                             The Linux Myth:
>            The truth about Linux, Open Source Software, and You.
> 
>       This is a play on what prompted creation of this entity,
>       Microsoft's own FUD paper, contains self-irony, and sounds catchy.

Sounds good to me.

>    *  We are not fighting fire with fire, we are fighting the lies and
>       dishonest marketspeak and technobabble that's always been dumped
>       on us with distilled truth.  And nothing but truth.  If we don't
>       win with truth, then we win the same way those we seek to refute won.

Keep it objective and factual.

-- 
Thomas Pfau
pfau@maherterminals.com
aka pfau@eclipse.net
http://www.eclipse.net/~pfau/
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