[Typo3] Some feedback to TYPO3 marketeers

[Kasper Skårhøj]

Hi Folks,

Since I had nothing else to do this monday night I found it very
entertaining to read this thread. Instead of posting insanely I tried to
summarize some points for those who want my views.

Scaring people away?
In my mailbox I have a folder with 515 encouraging emails written to me over
the last 4 years. In the same period of time I had 2 negative responses (3
counting in Simon here, 4 if you want to add Dimitris general rants) saying
that I should not mix software and religion. Of the 515 maybe 100 are from
christians, muslims and newagers expressing how liberating is has been for
them to see someone stand up in what is otherwise a spiritual vacuum and
express his faith. What do you think I make of that?
As long as I am a significant part of the TYPO3 community I will be so with
all of my personality. This means my corner stays, the Install Tool
password and imagery stays.

The Clause.
I'm actually quite tired of being asked whether this or that project falls
within my ethical standards. Christopher once did and the answer he cited
me with in this thread is quite common. Now, Rahul gave me a perspective
that made me change my wish to the better I hope without violating my
intensions. 
However, skipping it completely I will not. It is very offending to me that
someone can honestly expect me to write software without having personal
ideas about whom it should preferably benefit and whom not. Come on! In
that personal page of mine I go to great lengths to point out that this is
my personal views and they probably do not apply to others in the community
and that TYPO3 is "religiously neutral". Only an atheist who WANT to rant
over it will do so.

USA
Clearly the situation in US is different from that in Europe. Either you
hate God or you love Him. I also guess that is why you react so much
stronger to my views. But I believe some christians in USA might raise more
than one eyebrow about the fact that I smoke cigars and have a domain named
"oh-my-god.dk". It's hard not to offend someone.
Yet, within a few years the US might float with TYPO3 solutions exactly
because of christians who are making websites for churches over there.
There are quite a lot of serious initiatives. Better be on the good foot
with them, they might be your customers some day...

Religionsly neutral?
Strictly it's not possible. Even banning religion is equal to favouring
atheism. We are floating in atheistic propaganda in schools and media, but
it has become so subtle that nobody notices on a daily basis.
US Christians have told me that approaching Open Source communities and
asking for help regarding other CMSs has exposed quite
anti-christian/religion attitudes they could not accept. Based on such
experiences I believe that TYPO3 is FAR MORE welcoming to people with other
beliefs than christian.

Darwin
is dead. And if he wasn't he could not convince me (or any of you I would
claim) that a 3 GB working binary (human genome) could have evolved by
chance over millions of years unless you're on dope and don't care.
Programmers are in the first row to see the incredible improbability of
blind and undirected evolution. Scary implications. Another day...

Dimitri
Sigh. I don't get why you will put up with us. Clearly you are incredibly
uncomfortable around here and most other people would just leave. Since you
don't mix in ethics in your business I can't suspect you to do it out of
philantropical reasons. It's a mystery.
BTW, we never changed opinion on the rebranding issue but we grew so tired
of your junk that we finally chose to removed the page from the site and
face the problem when someone steps over the line.

The punch that hurts
Nazi-sites, porn, satanic cults, atheistic propaganda. None of that really
concerns me compared to the black holes in the community who are sucking
out all energy and motivation of the active contributers. 
The primary message of Open Source is not freedom, it is SHARE! Without
someone sharing, there is no product to set you free. Freedom is the
by-product. So if you have nothing constructive to share and contribute,
you should shut up until you have, otherwise you are a voice with no ethos.


- kasper