Just read an interview with Nat Friedman, carrying a 'Novell Vice President' title, in German c't magazine 12/05 (to be published on Monday). For your information, c't is a reputable computer technology magazine and not something like LUG Radio. In there he says about KDE and GNOME: "The only people who emphasize the differences are the developers, and I do not mean the ISVs (Independent Software Vendors), but the people who do not take showers. *laugh*"
Maybe he will have the chance at GUADEC in Stuttgart to see desktop developers take a shower, but then maybe not because he lives by oneself in a first class hotel room. Anyway, Novell really should choose their executives better.
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Rather Typical
God, three pages of comments.
Well, this is pretty much typical Nat Friedman
. He's obviously a clever and talented guy Nat, but he comes out with some rather odd things on a very regular basis...... Everyone should know that by now. And the Vice President thing? Everyone in Novell these days is a Vice President. At first I thought Nat was making up his job titles as he went along, but it does appear that Novell really is that directionless.
Is there a link to the interview anywhere, as I'm always game for a laugh?
Re: Rather Typical
I only see a German version online. So if you understand German or bear with Babelfish judge yourself if it's appropriate and fits in this interview.
maybe in Germany
This is not funny, but in the US it is. If it is not funny in Germany, Nat should watch what he says in a German magazine. Cultural misunderstandings can have bad effects.
Of course, I have no idea if it's funny in Germany or not, I'm American
In Germany it is funny, too.
In Germany it is funny, too.
Germany or the US
Regardles of whether this is funny in the US or in Germany, this debacle is taking place on the Internet. You need thick skin here. Especially in the open source crowd.
I agree
However, if the comments he made were insenstive in Germany, as it sounds like from beineri's reaction, and he's doing an interview in a German magazine, then he should be careful.. especially since he sounds like if he's in an executive position and thus represents his company.
I know Nat didn't mean anything by it since I know he's a nice guy, and a geek/coder himself, but it may not come across the same way to people in other cultures or people who may not know his background.
Market speak
He is a coder. A geek. Why should you want him to use watered down politically correct market-speak?
Because..
Because he's a vice president, and thus likely is an executive position. There are different standards there.
I don't think Nat would have said it if he beleived it were insensitive.
Double standards
I think trying to make Open source into a corporate, politically correct and universally inoffensive product is a bad idea. The whole idea with open source is embracing the freedom of expression. Should mr Friedman have to tiptoe around just because he has a fancy title now? I don't think so.
conversely, should Binner? it
conversely, should Binner? it cuts both ways =)