Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2002 11:01:30 -0600 From: "Kevin D. Kinsey, DaleCo, S.P." <kdk@daleco.biz> To: <freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: Why use a daemon as a symbol since it alienates many.... Message-ID: <01f801c28424$06be5060$fa00a8c0@DaleCoportable>
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f. johan beisser prophesied:
>>On Mon, 4 Nov 2002, Lefteris Tsintjelis wrote:
>> Maybe they should, maybe they should not use some therapist. The
>> point is that this is the majority of them and yes maybe Windblows
is
>> the real evil thing, still, the fact _IS_ that it is used to more
than
>> 90% of the PCs worldwide. FreeBSD, or even the most other well
known OS,
>> linux, _ARE NOT_. According to you and me they may need therapy,
BUT
>> that is the majority of them and according to them we maybe the
ones
>> that we could use some therapy.
>i don't think most computer using christians will be offended by the
BSD
>mascot. if they are, i'm sure they'd have problems with computers
anyway.
While Johan's entire statement here isn't entirely worthy of trust,
he 's right in that a Christian shouldn't necessarily be offended by
the mascot. This brings up a most interesting point, and one that
has certainly been demonstrated amply in this thread, to wit:
Most 'orthodox' Christians (in the US, at least) don't use the
'computer' God gave them very well --- the lack of thinking
before speaking and forming opinion/convictions has been
instrumental in leading us toward the sorry status of Christendom
now apparent in the world.
When I first considered using FreeBSD, I had momentary misgivings
about the mascot. I am not only a committed Christian, but I had
been
in church since the Sunday after I was born, and though
($AttendChurch!=$BeingAChristian)
there are a
few strongly
held 'cultural' associations that tended to raise my blood pressure,
or the
hackles on my neck (whatever those are) just a bit. I searched for,
and
fairly quickly found an explanation, as well as a compu-historical
reference
for the term 'daemon,' and I found humor in the obvious pun, which is
one
of the best reasons for the mascot's existence. (I wonder if the OP
has
raised this issue with Net- or Open- hmmmm). A little thought and
a tad of reading went a long way in allaying any doubt about
something so trivial as a cartoon 'beastie.'
I would suggest that the very real being referred to by the koine
Greek
New Testament as "apollyon" (among many other terms) bears little
visual resemblance (or much other resemblance) to the FreeBSD
mascot, and it would actually be better for Christians if we realized
that.
It seems likely that growth in FreeBSD comes from people who are
searching for the features and characteristics that make it a great
OS,
and not on the basis of marketing. Until some big corporation
decides
that FBSD is it's ticket to the Big Time(tm) <and I'm *not* holding
my
breath> the marketing power of the 'mascot' and the term 'daemon'
will have little effect on its popularity. I doubt that I see the
'beastie'
more than once/twice a month, and then only when I load up the
main page at freebsd.org......
Now, as for practicality. I run websites for two very 'conservative'
churches on FBSD. I see no need for them to have decals on their
boxen, nor .gifs on their home page. They do, however, greatly
appreciate
the fact that when something goes wrong, it's _not_ the server, and
that I save them money by not paying Micro$oft for IIS and Exchange
licenses.....
Excellence in rational thought and radical devotion to Christ is far
preferable to 'beastie bashing', and as for me, that's where my
efforts will be laid......
Respectfully,
Kevin Kinsey
DaleCo, S.P.
Minister of Music & Worship
Cornerstone Baptist Church
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