what I begin to see in this very interesting thread on oekonux are some
structural problems, or lets say, limitations of the FS scene. It's one
thing to say that they are all male chauvinist pigs. I don't really buy
that. I don't even think that men are actively and conciously excluding
women. But that's exactly where the problem starts.
A lot of it written
deeply into geek culture. For instance its hobby character.
Indeed, the
dogma of the free. The refusal to get into the real world and transform the
good ideas and code into a dirty business. For instance. OK, some are doing
that, lately, but not enough are really involved on an economic level. This
could be the reason why so few women take FS serious.
Then there are similar objection made in the October issue of Wired (which
has always been in the hand of Apple people dreaming up a Microsoft empire
for themselves...). OK. But I liked the piece anyway cause it point at the
deeper problems of geek culture and its resistance to grow up.
In order for Linux and FS to succeed, the question then becomes one of a
radical change of culture, which, IMHO, can only be achieved by radically
open up the communication channels and an active and outward looking
non-dogmatic attitude (which doesnot automatically mean selling out to
capitalist businesses etc.).