Linux Community vs. Canonical

In polite terms there is an intense discussion going on between many people in the wider Linux community and Canonical and hence Ubuntu.

On the one hand many members of the community are claiming that Canonical is acting against the ethos of the FOSS community while Canonical claims to be making vital progress in ensuring widespread acceptance and thus continued viability of Linux.

I have long maintained that for any FOSS 'product' to be viable in the general market there has to be a sustainable underlying business model.

I admire hugely the volunteerism that is the lifeblood of the FOSS movement. Personal satisfaction in doing good and innovative work doesn't pay the rent, buy food or send kids to school. Every volunteer gets to a point, no matter how passionate and dedicated they are to whatever FOSS activity they are involved in, where they have to make some kind of living. If that living is not directly related their FOSS activity they have to deal with a conflict of interest.

The surest way to resolve that conflict of interest is to create a sustainable business around the FOSS activity. Which is exactly what Mark Shuttleworth has been doing with Canonical.

I think one of the major factors in the conflict with Canonical is a misplaced puritanical culture that wants to keep FOSS as some kind of underground movement where it is evil to make a living from FOSS activities. Does Linus live on thin air? Certainly not. He would not be able to continue his role without revenue streams. I can guarantee you that his income is mostly if not totally related to FOSS activities. Does that make him evil and unacceptable to the FOSS community?

Another factor is potentially ego or pride because a particular FOSS piece is not used in Ubuntu, for example GNOME. I think that some people who are heavily invested in GNOME find it hard to accept that GNOME is not used. Don't attack Canonical; look at the pros and cons of GNOME vs. UNITY especially in consideration of the market where Ubuntu is gaining acceptance. Canonical made a business decision and like any business have to live with the consequences of the decision. Considering the growing penetration of Ubuntu the decision can't be all bad.

My bottom line point is that Canonical looks like being sucessful at the absolutley essential challenge of building a sustainable business model that does not compromise the principles of FOSS. Kudos to them.

Alvin Lee and Big Red

I was 15 years old when the movie "Woodstock" came to South Africa. There was something in me yearning for something I just wasn't hearing in the popular music that was on the radio of that time. Here and there I heard bits that tugged at my innards.

Then I went to see Woodstock ... my ears nearly popped out of my head when Alvin Lee and Ten Years After played I'm Goin Home.

He has remained one of my favourite players. His Big Red 335 became an iconic instrument for me. I love the Gibbo 335 sound and have an Ibanez repro of a 335. Ever since then I have had a semi-acoustic heart.

I was saddened to hear that Alvin Lee died two days ago, apparently from complications after a routine surgical procedure.

Another great goes to the great stage in the sky. We're gonna miss you Alvin.

Click here to see that Woodstock performance.

Go, Angie, Go

Now here is a bit of good news.

The basic education department has assured parliament that the delay (that they assured us never was) in getting textbooks to all Limpopo schools will be resolved by this Friday.

You go, Angie, go. (Read that however you please.)

Take Heed All Who Would Rule or Govern

The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of the common man.

 ~ William Beveridge ~

Kayak Flat Water Technique - Stroke Phases

It has been some time since I presented anything relating to one of my passions ... coaching kayak technique. So here goes ...

There are four phases to each paddle stroke. This is not anything radical and is consistent with the approach that I have seen quite a few people advocate with one change of emphasis.

I will discuss each of the four phases in more detail in later posts. To start, the four phases are:

- Start Position
This correlates with what is often spoken of as the recovery or airwork and is commonly expressed as the last of the four phases. I very consciously place this as the first phase because I believe it is vital in establishing the effectiveness of the stroke. As such I want paddlers to be conscious of starting the stroke well and that is why I speak of it as the "Start Position". I relate the Start Position to the backswing in golf. If you have a lousy backswing you're going to have a lousy swing. If you have a lousy Start Position you're going to have a lousy stroke. A good Start Position does not guarantee a good stroke but a lousy Start Position pretty much ensures a lousy stroke.

- Catch
They key here is getting the paddle in the water to take best advantage of what the paddle is designed to do. It is vital is to get the paddle "locked" in the water to set up an optimal Power phase.

- Power
Here is where the paddler takes advantage of the biomechanical set up established in the Start Position together with the optimal "paddle lock" established by the Catch to project the boat forward.

- Exit
This phase is undervalued by most paddlers. The value of a good Exit is not in propulsion but is in conserving energy, retaining momentum and not interfering with the paddler's balance. A good Exit is key in lifting stroke rate without losing stroke effectiveness and efficiency.

Puh ... leeeeeaaaaase !!!!!

One of the items on the news this morning was about the security arrrangements around the State of the Nation address. How many police officers and soldiers would be deployed in Cape Town, in the and around the parliamentary precinct and even in the suburbs.

For what?

In my view it is simply to feed Jake's puffed up self importance; if there is such a security presence he must be a really important guy. From long before he was president he was renowned for his coterie of 'protectors' and this has become a common practice with so many of our puffed up politicians. Get real and get down to some real work for the good of the country instead of feeding your egos.

I would love to see the threat assessment for this evening and whether it bears any correlation with the security deployment.

What If ....

What if the moon is made of green cheese? What if Jacob Zuma is really being unjustly pursued over the arms deal? What if Helen Zille is really a white supremacist?

What If allows us to explore possibilities and help us make choices between those possibilities. What If gives us freedom to explore. Exploring through What If can somesometimes help us better understand What Is. So I choose to ask What If in some different contexts to explore various things and maybe identify some ways we can make positive differences in our beloved South Africa.

So I will start exploring a What If right now ...

What if our government leadership were to fall under a different remunuration model? What if a significant portion of their total salary package was payable only on achievement of all of a set certain objectives, measurements, KPAs?

I know there is discussion on the effectiveness or otherwise of using KPAs. Let's for the purposes of this What If assume that KPAs are viable and take this What If further.

What if everyone holding a significant position in government was to receive a significant portion, say at least half their total salary package only on achieving all of their KPAs? Let them receive half their total salary package for continuing business as normal, simply for pitching up at work. Now I am sure there are some that would find even that challenging. We need only think of Winnie's woeful parliamentary attendance record.

I am suggesting that from the president down through cabinet ministers, members of parliament, through directors general, provincial premieres, mayors, city managers, heads of departments, and so on be assigned no more than five measurableKPAs.

Let us start witht he president. As the head of government what could be measured that would have a positive impact on the state of our nation.

 Hmmmmm ....

I would start with holding the president responsible for ensuring that every government department and every province obtains a clean audit every year. This means that if just one department fails to get a clean audit Jake loses half of his total remuneration package. Hands up anyone who thinks that won't have a positive impact on South Africa.

That's a totally objective, measurable and non-political objective. I can't imagine anyone in their right mind not wanting financial accountability in government.

Take a moment and imagine in your mind's eye Jake hassling and harrassing his cabinet ministers to ensure that every cent is accounted for. What a pleasure .... Then he'd be an action man.