[09:57] <akfoss> Hi. I am a member of the Iranian Ubuntu Team. It has been a long time that in our forum, http://forum.ubuntu.ir, we have a rule that some users have objections about it. "The Iranian Ubuntu Forum does not accept topics those encourage users to use proprietary software and may lock, move, edit, or delete them. Comparing free and proprietary software is accepted". All Iranian Ubuntu Team members agree with this rule but some forum users
[09:57] <akfoss> do not. Some forum users say: "this is the Ubunu forum not the GNU forum" and we should change that rule. Here is my question, can we have that rule? or we must change it.
[10:00] <nhaines> akfoss: Hello!  There is definitely no restriction against dicussing proprietary software, and it's an unfortunate truth that sometimes there is no good Free or Open Source software alternative available.
[10:01] <nhaines> Free Software stands alone on its merits, not just its license.  There is no reason that this rule should stand if the forum administrators want to change it.
[10:02] <nhaines> My advice is that if your LoCo members find the rule restrictive and want it to be removed, you should consider doing so.  It would be very bad if LoCo members went elsewhere because they couldn't discuss software freely.
[10:02] <akfoss> We do not want to change it. Some forum users say that we do not that right to have our own rules and we must follow guidelines of ubuntuforums.org or other similar sites
[10:03] <akfoss> all LoCo members agree with that rule.
[10:06] <nhaines> Then you should decide if the forum is mainly to support LoCo members, or if it might be better to be a focal point for other Persian speakers.  Maybe an off-topic forum would allow discussion of proprietary software.  And maybe running one or two proprietary programs on top of Ubuntu would allow someone to switch.
[10:06] <nhaines> But it looks like these forums are separate from the Ubuntu Forums, and therefore the rules are yours to set.
[10:09] <nhaines> It definitely makes sense to have the main focus of an Ubuntu forum center on Free and Open Source Software.  But even Ubuntu ships with proprietary drivers and firmware.  So do your best to consider all points of view and ways that you can make the forum most useful for your community.
[10:10] <akfoss> Thanks nhaines. 
[10:11] <nhaines> My pleasure.  If you need an official statement, please send an email.  Either way, I wish the Iranian Ubuntu Team all the best.  :)
[10:12] <nhaines> You can email us if needed at loco-council@lists.ubuntu.com
[10:15] <akfoss> :) I'll email right now to be reference for other LoCos.