[LAU] Mission Statement

So, since I am a long time lurker (and occasional poster) on this list, I'd suggest that we give everyone who reads the list the freedom to write (post) to the list as long as it is in the spirit of the Mission Statement. What! There is no Mission Statement? (I could have sworn I had it in my back pocket a few minutes ago). I guess I have to do another google search and figure out what I did with the Mission Statement... Well, Ardour's got one... LinuxMuscian's got one... Linux Audio DOT org makes me have to make a security exception because their certificate can't be traced. They don't have a mission, so maybe if I read the Policy Statement it would be good enough... "The aim of the Linuxaudio.org consortium is to promote and enable the use of Linux kernel based systems for professional audio use." Well, their policies look pretty good and the Policy Statement aim could do for a mission statement in a pinch.. A generic statement like this is ok, but it doesn't produce a hard-on or make me want to give my life for it. OK, so maybe we have to craft a mission statement: How about a mission statement like this: "This mailing list consists of a bunch of cheap bastard techno-dweebs that have no life of their own who are mainly attracted to linux audio because it is so cheap to implement as long as you don't count your own time as being worth anything. We have long ago lost the ability to make music on our own because we have fallen into the hole of continually tweaking and trying to make something work. We are lost in our own underwear and can't find our way out. We haven't noticed that the rest of the audio world uses Windows or Mac O/S and don't care because those apps aren't on Pirate's Bay and we are too self absorbed to give any attention to anything we'd have to pay for. We do not normally work together and use this mailing list to espouse our individual opinions or problems." Naw, this one is a bit long. Here's another potential mission statement: "Linux is good" Nope. This one is too short. OK, here's a last one: "The LAU list is dedicated to providing freedom for the developer, musician, and audience thru the application of music". This one seems just right. If people who post to this list are advancing the causes identified in the mission statement, then we can easily live with the diversity created by individuals within the community who have different approaches to solving the problems and questions inherent in moving the mission forward. If you read your post and it moves the mission forward, you can then feel free to hit the "Send" button. Make sure that "membership" in this "club" is something that you are proud of and would be happy to recommend to your close friends. Remember that your friends are weird too and the inclusion of some of them into this club should move the achievement of the mission statement a bit closer. Normally I don't get into Mission Statements because most of them are Corporate GroupSpeak half truths with no meaning. However, this small group is VERY talented as a whole and is in danger of drifting off into non-relevance, especially if we spend a lot of energy attacking each other instead of helping each other. Please provide your best alternative "Mission Statement" if this one should be improved on (and most things can be improved on). -Mike Mazarick