[Scribus] Scribus in the Art Lab

[Pierre-Luc Auclair]

On Tuesday 04 April 2006 05:41, Le Tigre wrote:
> Since many years (even before Scribus existed) I was so surprised that
> people were very happy to have great and expansive softwares and able to
> make so poor layouts (we all know people who where using the Photoshop
> filters for making umbras and things like that which can be so ugly).

Still true, too many people considering themselves graphic designers because 
they can push buttons and too many people forgetting the importance graphic 
design has had in history and it's correlations to societies.

> And now, I see people that complain about Scribus (since it was ported
> on Windows), telling it's complicated: but did they just try to make a
> "maquette" with a pencil and white paper? People think that softwares
> will make the graphism, but it's not true.

Let them whine as they want, I stopped caring about stupid people a while ago. 
To me the only ones who whine about software don't understand the "real life" 
concept as opposed to the implementation, and why it is there. 

I welcome as much complexity as possible if the app can let me do *everything* 
I wish to, and without constraint. 

> I think (and we're many here I feel :) ) that the software is here to
> help you and not to do the job for you. 

Of course, that's what tools were intended for. Computers ain't nothing more 
than overhyped calculators. ;)

> So the important thing is to 
> think about  the GPL license and what it means, philosophically and
> intellectually. If tomorrow InDesign choose the GPL Licence, I could try
> to consider using it...

Yes but I'd rather replace GPL by free tools for everyone. I dream of the day 
where very high quality tools will be free to anyone, and that software won't 
be the thing separating the good from the bad, the poor from the rich.

> Does people really realize what the free sofwares mean? A really new way
> of thinking about the community, the solidarity, the share, and all
> those things, which are a "pied de nez" to the capitalist economy.

Sure, read above. Again to me the GLP license is not the main argument 
although, and barely is one.

> For me, the first thing that me made going to Scribus was: we can show
> to the world (euh... let's say: to the readers of "Le Tigre") that
> another way of making things is possible. It's called: the free softwares.

I think limiting the point of view to a pied-de-nez or to free software is a 
pretty narrow one (I'm not saying this is what you're saying!). To me the 
free software is pretty much only the starting point as opposed to everything 
that can be made, and its implications into socialty. I'm sure in many years 
only will people see the importance FOSS software has played. Right now it's 
more considered as an underdog, something you work on until you're "hot" 
enough to buys the full blown almighty Creative Suite god.

> Raphael
>
> (and, of course, sorry for my english - I'd like to say that in French,
> that would surely be more clear)

Bah.. stop saying this, your french is good enough, and to me the effort 
someone puts into a new language is great enough to forgive any mistake you 
may have made.

:)

Pierre-Luc