Re: [LAU] Mission Statement

On Sat, May 12, 2012 at 8:54 AM, Mike Mazarick <mazarick@email-addr-hidden> wrote:

> How about a mission statement like this:  "This mailing list consists of a
> bunch of cheap bastard techno-dweebs that have no life of their own who are
> mainly attracted to linux audio because it is so cheap to implement as long
> as you don't count your own time as being worth anything.   We have long ago
> lost the ability to make music on our own because we have fallen into the
> hole of continually tweaking and trying to make something work.   We are
> lost in our own underwear and can't find our way out.   We haven't noticed
> that the rest of the audio world uses Windows or Mac O/S and don't care
> because those apps aren't on Pirate's Bay and we are too self absorbed to
> give any attention to anything we'd have to pay for.   We do not normally
> work together and use this mailing list to espouse our individual opinions
> or problems."
> Naw, this one is a bit long.

This is VERY funny, and (tongue in cheek aside) insightful.

From a Linux audio developer perspective, it seems like many Linux
audio users don't invest back into the community that creates and
supports the different parts of the Linux audio ecosystem, and I think
that could account for why Linux audio is seen as "cheap", and why a
Linux audio user might need to spend lots of time "continually
tweaking and trying to make something work". There are obvious
exceptions to this rule (developers, packagers, documentation writers,
testers, etc.).

Interestingly, some paid applications available for Linux (e.g.
Renoise) have thriving communities that enthusiastically help with
documentation, testing, writing plugins, etc.

> OK, here's a last one:
> "The LAU list is dedicated to providing freedom for the developer, musician,
> and audience thru the application of music".
> This one seems just right.
>
> If people who post to this list are advancing the causes identified in the
> mission statement, then we can easily live with the diversity created by
> individuals within the community who have different approaches to solving
> the problems and questions inherent in moving the mission forward.   If you
> read your post and it moves the mission forward, you can then feel free to
> hit the "Send" button.
>
> Make sure that "membership" in this "club" is something that you are proud
> of and would be happy to recommend to your close friends.   Remember that
> your friends are weird too and the inclusion of some of them into this club
> should move the achievement of the mission statement a bit closer.
>
> Normally I don't get into Mission Statements because most of them are
> Corporate GroupSpeak half truths with no meaning.   However, this small
> group is VERY talented as a whole and is in danger of drifting off into
> non-relevance, especially if we spend a lot of energy attacking each other
> instead of helping each other.

I can't say much about the effectiveness of the mission statement that
you've posted, but I think you make a lot of important points. I hope
that the people on this list really take the time to read what you're
saying instead of flaming you outright.

-- 
Devin Anderson
surfacepatterns (at) gmail (dot) com
blog - http://surfacepatterns.blogspot.com/
synthclone - http://synthclone.googlecode.com/
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