lex naturalis - txwikinger's blog Free Software - Law - Politics

Some of the discussions about the divergence or convergence of
the two stackexchanges sites Ubuntu and Unix/Linux shows that the discussion is lead not on the same dimension, but on two different ones.

The proponents of a convergence have a scientific categorization in mind, a taxonomy, similar to the way plants and animals are categorized, or the Dewey Decimal system in a library.

For these dimension of thinkers, sites that are subsets of one another, or sites that have considerable overlap in the possible set of questions are an aberration. It does not fit in the universe of this style of thinking.

The other dimension come from the observation of the communities. Communities do not grow according to the taxonomy scientist like to use. Taxonomies are simplifications which might be accurate for the purpose of a limited observation sufficient for the particular science. However, they are not sufficient for the needs and feelings of the communities.

Communities rather grow organically, fractals come to mind, but even the this is a mathematical simplification, which fits maybe often, but not always.

The different development of European vs. North American cities can lend a suitable example for what I am trying to express here. While there are in both geographic areas counter-examples, the main pattern is that European cities have sprawled organically, while North American Cities have been engineered. What does this mean?

Most European cities have grown over a long time, often centuries. Often a trade route, a river, or other geographic attribute gave the initial reason for settlement. After this people settled around it where it was convenient, or where they liked it. Coburg, Germany is such an example. A lot of the streets have bends and turns around the organic settlements, around certain markers (in this case a palace, a castle, a market place, and the main rail station).

On the other hand, an example for the engineered city is Kilgore, Texas.
The streets show a very distinct grid of East/West-bound and North/South-bound streets. It shows that mostly, the roads were planned before the settlement, and the settlement was done in line with the roads.

If we now discuss, which city is better, or rather which style of city is better, we will never come to a conclusion. Both versions have advantages and disadvantages. Kilgore is friendlier for cars, Coburg is friendlier for pedestrians, to just name one such differences.

The discussion about the convergence or divergence of Ubuntu and Unix/Linux sites cannot find a solution because the arguments are based on two dimensions. The convergence arguments put the technology, categorization in the centre-point. It is an approach by design, similar to the time of industrial revolution when people were placed around the designed processes and work flows of machines.

The divergence arguments are focused around the already organically grown communities. The focus are the different needs of the different communities. One example for this is the tension between the focus of the new user or beginner on one side and the expert on the other. One of the arguments for a combined site was the fear of duplication of questions, and the concern that the expert's time was wasted by such, or by the need to participate on two sites. This is centered on the already existing community.

On the other hand, another philosophy is the focus on the user that will be coming to the fold of Linux user. To go where the potential users are. To build the community roads around the already existing settlements. To allow duplications and interpret on-topic very widely, because it helps the new user to learn their steps and grow.

This is the reason why two sites are not a division, but an addition, even the subject matter is the same. The focus is on a different group of people. Both groups are part of the wider nation of Linux users. Both groups will bring progress to this Linux nation. Let's make both sites a success!