On 16/05/16 10:26, Steve Litt wrote:
> On Sun, 15 May 2016 23:22:07 +0200 Jaromil <jaromil@???> wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 15 May 2016, marc wrote:
>>
>>> http://linuxmafia.com/kb/Debian/openrc-conversion.html
>>
>> what's wrong with these guys to call themselves linuxmafia?
>>
>> some of us are from places in which that word means prevarication,
>> violence, misery and corruption. I've never been entertained by
>> such a name, not even when it was about slackware packages. very
>> bad taste.
>
> Hi Jaromil,
>
> I know Rick personally, and I'm very sure he meant no offense to
> anybody. Although he can be rough on people he disagrees with, I've
> never heard him say anything bad about groups of people nor imply in
> any way that he's a hoodlum nor a criminal.
>
> Rick has held the linuxmafia.com domain since at least 1999:
>
> http://jhauser.dyndns.org:8080/archives/html/svlug/1999-02/msg00341.html
>
> The word "mafia" isn't particularly insulting in the US: It reminds
> Boomer-age Americans of the TV show "Untouchables", Frank Nitti, and
> Al Capone, the latter of which has come down through the ages as a
> sort of folk hero.
>
> I see your point: If the URL were "linuxcrips.com" or
> "linuxbloods.org", most Americans would react pretty much like you
> did. But I'm sure Rick meant no offense to anyone: It just doesn't
> have the same connotation in America.
>
> SteveT
>
Al Capone may be a cult classic villain, one that no doubt has become
infamous, but folk hero??

I don't think folk hero is really a justifiable term in that instance.
Typically "folk heros" are those who have risen from obscurity to hero
status for saving/rescuing the common people from a great calamity or
oppression. How did Al Capone champion the common peoples cause and
what great benefit did he bestow on society his society to deserve being
called a "folk hero".

That American TV/Hollywood want to paint him in a different light shows
just how corrupt that industry is - not surprising really given their
hand in the drafting of terrible treaties such as the TPPA.

Here in NZ "mafia" is still a negative term associated with
racketeering, money laundering, extortion and protectionism.

Regardless of the intent of "Linuxmafia" as
group/organisation/publication, I think that name is an oxymoron and
given the connotations globally, probably not likely to be particularly
well received in some regions.

Daniel.