[Open-graphics] Discussions with Richard Stallman

[Timothy Miller]

On 1/8/07, Timothy Miller <theosib at gmail.com> wrote:
> Here's my motivation regarding the whole deal with RMS and the FSF:
>
> Of the FSF and the OSI and OSDL and any other such so-called "FOSS"
> organization, the FSF was the first to contact us.  That makes me like
> the FSF very much more than those who have not seen fit to pay
> attention to our project.  In other words, if someone thinks we're
> important, I'm inclined to think they're important too.  The FSF have
> offered to give us publicity.  Although RMS seems to be generally
> insistant on preferring certain words over others, he does not appear
> to have placed any conditions on us other than to ask that we support
> Free Software (which is our raison d'etre anyhow).  In return for them
> doing what I consider to be a HUGE favor, I think we should be happy
> to concede to a few of their requests, such as preferring the word
> "Free" over "Open," and other such minor adjustments to our language.
>
> Note that I have no interested in badgering anyone about it.  I just
> think this is a good tit-for-tat thing to do.
>

Continuing in this vein of grattitude towards the FSF, I think we
should give a name change some serious discussion.  If it can't
happen, it can't happen, but if it can, this is an opportunity for us
to come up with a better name.  The fact is, now that I think about
it, "Open Graphics Project" kinda sounds like the name of a repository
of public domain clipart.  Unfortunately, "Free Graphics Project"
sounds even worse to me.

RMS has suggested that we're not quite as popular as we might hope.
We're only now visible enough for him to notice us, so if we're going
to change our name, we'd better do it before we get REALLY well-known.
 He has a point.  IF we want to change our name, sooner is better than
later.  Also, he suggests that we should continue to use our old name
along with the new one for at least a little while.  The FSF can
assist us with the publicity on that too.

So... let's say that we have complete Freedom (pun intended) to change
our project name.  What do you think would be better?  Words I think
we could cobble together into a name include "Free", "Freedom",
"Graphics", "Video", "Project" (or not), "Initiative"....

Note that "Freedom Graphics" is taken.

Oh, and should Patrick McNamara and the OHF follow suit?  Asking him
to change OHF to something else is about like asking Traversal to
change its name.  Some things are much harder to do, so this is
entirely up to him and his board members.  But I just thought I'd
mention the idea.

-- 
Timothy Miller
http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~millerti