Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-project (194 mails)

[Lars Müller <lmuelle@xxxxxxx>]

On Fri, Sep 09, 2011 at 11:59:40AM +0200, Sascha Peilicke wrote:
> sr#81625 want's to add 'sword', a bible study tool to openSUSE:Factory. While 
> that is totally fine, the spec file %description contains stuff like:
>
> +The SWORD Project is an effort to create an ever expanding software package 
> for
> +research and study of God and His Word.
>
> While I don't care much for that particular bedtime story, others may well be 
> offended by biased religious views (even more so if their's differing). Of 
> course, this may equally apply to policitcal views or offensive words.
>
> I have the feeling that openSUSE should take neutral stance, be inviting and 
> open for everyone (and we're quite good at that already). But I'm not sure if 
> we should provide a stage for non-technical biased views. Even less so for 
> those with a mission. Thus, the question I'd like to ask is whether we should 
> allow such formulations or not. Do we already have policy for that or do we 
> care at all?

Your proposal in general sounds good.  As an open project we should
ensure to position us non offending to any particular social group.

After reading the quoted description a second time I'm no longer sure if
this particular sentence might affront for example atheistic people.

As contrast I would count a phrase like "the only God and His true
Words" as non acceptable.

Maybe best if one of our English native speakers commnets on this.

Lars
-- 
Lars Müller [ˈlaː(r)z ˈmʏlɐ]
Samba Team
SUSE Linux, Maxfeldstraße 5, 90409 Nürnberg, Germany