[Debian-uk] Letter to the BBC re. DRM

[Philip Hands]

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Jonathan McDowell wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 16, 2007 at 11:51:43AM +0100, Philip Hands wrote:
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> There's an open letter that people might want to sign here:
>>
>>   http://www.freethebbc.info/node/5
>>
>> Would anyone object to my signing it as "The Chairman of the Debian UK
>> Society"?
> 
> My understanding was that DUS was setup to prevent the "Steve gets run
> over by a bus and all of Debian's money in the UK becomes inaccessible"
> problem. Hence trying to have a very "light" society, because it
> doesn't do much. I don't think that signing petitions/open letters on
> behalf of the society fits in with this, so I would prefer it if you
> didn't sign as the chairman. The society should hold the money,
> disperse it as the DPL advises and that's basically it, IMO.
> 
> (As balance I add the fact that the lurkers don't support me on IRC;
> and I concede their point that whatever the majority of the society
> want should happen.)

Nah, on reflection I agree with you, so I'll not be doing it.

I'll sign it as an individual, and would encourage others to do the same.

I think we can take this as a precedent that there is really no
circumstance under which the officers of the Debian UK Society will express
opinions on anything that might more properly be expressed by the DPL on
behalf of Debian as a whole.

Actually, the last time I mentioned that I was Chairman of the Debian UK
Society the incompetent journo. wrote that down as President of Debian or
some such nonsense, so it's definitely safer to never mention the position
in public again, so that's going to be what I'll be doing in future.

I think anyone that's still confused about the purpose of the Society can
take this as proof that it really is just an excuse for a bank account.

Cheers, Phil.
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