...making Linux just a little more fun!

### Talkback:165/laycock.html

[ In reference to "GNOME and Red Hat Linux Eleven Years Ago" in LG#165 ]

Jakub Safar [mail at jakubsafar.cz]

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:03:34 +0200

Hi,

thank you for the article about GNOMEs history. Looking back made me happy, nevertheless, I doubt that ... "GNOME development was announced in August 1977" ;-)

http://linuxgazette.net/165/laycock.html

Jakub

Top Back

Ben Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:02:16 -0500

On Sun, Aug 30, 2009 at 08:03:34PM +0200, Jakub Safar wrote:

    > Hi,
    >
    > thank you for the article about GNOMEs history. Looking back made me happy,
    > nevertheless, I doubt that ... "GNOME development was announced in August 1977"
    > ;-)
    >
    > http://linuxgazette.net/165/laycock.html

Well spotted, Jakub! This just points up our need for more proofreaders and technical editors.

You're right, of course - Oscar obviously swapped a '9' for a '7'. I mean, everybody knows it was in 1797; his Royal Majesty Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden was quite a believer in gnomes, and was willing to pay to develop them...

I've fixed the mistake at our root site - not that it's going to affect anything at our mirrors, but at least there will be one place in the world where the truth about GNOME development will be told (they emigrated to Switzerland with Gustav upon his abdication, and have been known as "The Gnomes of Zurich" ever since.)

[ Thus is specious alternate history created. ]

    --
    * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *

Top Back

Ben Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:16:24 -0500

On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 09:20:10AM +0200, Jakub Safar wrote:

    > Hello Ben,
    >
    > sense of humor is a rare commodity, thank you for the funny explanation.

A pleasure.

    > If there is a need to proofread text before publishing, send me an URL. I will
    > do my best despite the fact I am not a native speaker.

Jakub, we're always looking for help. Your English is certainly sufficient for the task of correcting tech errors, or bloopers like the one you mentioned; if you'd like to join us as a Technical Editor, you'd certainly be most welcome. If you're interested, please take a look at http://linuxgazette.net/jobs.html - the instructions at the top of the page will guide you through everything necessary to become an LG proofreader or tech editor.

    --
    * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *

Top Back