KDE Publishes Manifesto 58
Several readers sent word that KDE has published a manifesto. According to its official announcement, the KDE community's growth over the past 15 years has "created a need for clarity about what pulls us together as a community." It continues, "The KDE Manifesto is not intended to change the organization or the way it works. Its aim is only to describe how the KDE Community sees itself. What binds us together are certain values and their practical implications, without regard for who a person is or what background and skills they bring." The manifesto opens boldly, saying, "We are a community of technologists, designers, writers and advocates who work to ensure freedom for all people through our software." It comes along with more detailed descriptions of the benefits and principles of a KDE project.
Well, that's a good sign! (Score:5, Funny)
Nothing forms the foundation of a bright future quite like issuing a manifesto.
What the Manifesto Means to You, as a User (Score:5, Funny)
Open Governance to ensure engagement in our leadership and decision processes;
We have ensured that this is the most open governance possible. Why, as we speak, KDE death squads are being dispatched to move door to door to force you into a leadership and/or decision process for KDE. Should you fail or should said squads find Gnome in your household ... well, let's just concentrate on the positives of the Manifesto. We here at KDE put the "FEST" in "Manifesto!"
Free Software to ensure the result of our work is available to all people;
We have recently employed Liam Neeson and a team of investigators working around the clock to tie names and individuals to credit cards and paypal accounts after turning over all our donation transactions to them. If you do not accept our software as free, you will be paid a visit by Liam Neeson who has, shall we say, developed a particularly forceful skill set in working at our returns department! Don't thank us, thank you for using KDE -- please we cannot emphasize this enough: it will be free or there will be blood.
Inclusivity to ensure that people of all origins are welcome to join us and participate;
In an effort to include everyone, we have actually started up cloning chambers with the DNA of Neanderthals. No origins, past or present, will be left un-KDE'd in our quest to excel in inclusivity past those dirty gnome users.
Innovation to ensure that new ideas constantly emerge to better serve people;
Ah yes, our innovation measures have become quite extreme. So extreme that you can feel them in the pit of your stomach. Not literally, of course -- the literal pit of innovation is behind our headquarters where we've trapped the world's leading scientists and patent lawyers while we spray them with a hose if they don't meet our patent quotas to out-innovate the gnome team!
Common Ownership to ensure that we stay united;
This one is simple! Any forks will be auspiciously repressed! Not repressed like emotional feelings but instead like tanks in Tienanmen Square. Of course, this is open source, you're free to fork whenever you want and we're free to ensure that everyone stays united. It's open source + united people = united open source people!
End-User Focus to ensure our work is useful to all people.
Is your Klan rally missing that flame? Is your Neo-Nazi newsletter not so neo? Is your jihad turning out to be a junker? Well, submit a feature request to KDE to ensure you can meet all of your needs with our software. We don't discriminate -- that is unless you want us to! *wink* *wink*
In all seriousness though, I know it doesn't mean this but am I the only person that imagines someone with crazy eyes smiling uncontrollably at you when you hear the word 'manifesto'?
Re:Well, that's a good sign! (Score:5, Funny)
It's like those people that waste their time on documentation. How much code could they write instead of describing the APIs or providing tutorials? And don't get me started on those profligate programmers that use multi-character variable names...
Phillip.