On Friday 31 May 2002 20:03, doc wrote: - I am uncertain why the reaction to this announcement devolved into an - argument about the EU and other silliness. Depends on your point of view. Language and culture aren't really an issue for Americans. It is for Europeans. Many people feel that not having software localized to their own language is the equivalent of not having the right to freedom of expression. Most Americans don't understand this, but there it is none the less. - If, however, anyone tries to create an EU-centric version of Linux - that attempts to impose (Bill Gates style) certain financially self-serving - requirements upon other distros then they will harm the entire Linux - community. Where did Bill Gates come into this? Who is trying to impose anything? The issue is about defending one's language and culture from exactly the one cheese, one cheeseburger style imposition of self styled Bill Gates types. There is nothing onerous about thinking strategically, demographically or culturally. I used Airbus and the EU as metaphors for how a UnitedLinux or multilingual European solution could look. This can only be productive for the Linux community. I personally believe in unity in diversity and I think that describes, or hopefully describes the Linux community. That doesn't mean that anyone has to encompass everything. Cheers, Brian