Subject: Re: bug#61325: 30.0.50; Jokes in GNUS manual

From: Stefan Kangas <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2023 05:45:53 -0800

Po Lu <[email-masked]> writes:

> The problem with this approach is that alt.sex is a real hierarchy.
> ``alt.meme'' is not, so it reduces the accuracy of the joke.

alt.sex.emacs is not a real group either, so there is no "accuracy" to
reduce.  Both groups are made up.

> Trying to censor this part of the Gnus manual is like trying to censor
> the Usenet: it won't work.

Installing the proposed patch has absolutely nothing to do with
censorship, of course.  I don't see how anyone could think that it does.
I suggest removing a couple of words because the jokes are not that
funny, somewhat childish, and arguably distracting to some readers.

Furthermore, of course it will "work".  I install patches in emacs.git
every day, as do you.  But of course we can't change Usenet.  Comparing
Usenet to our git repository is a category error.

> One of the few standpoints unrelated to free software taken by the GNU
> project is the opposition to censorship.  No matter if the demands for
> censorship come from individuals, or if they come from the
> Communications Decency Act, they must be resolutely opposed.

There is no disagreement about this.