We are Archers, we celebrate Ubuntu, we wear the Fedora. When things get tough, we can lean on our elders, the Slackers, and when documentation is needed, do we not consult the might force of Gentoo? We are a special breed of man. A breed that has broken free from our locks and chains. We have taken a road less traveled, and for it, we are persecuted.

It's a battle we constantly fight. We are tempted by the majority of the world and we bicker amongst our selves over silly things, but, in this year 19 Anno Linux, we have finally won.

A quote that a lot of us hold deep in our hearts was made by Ghandi, "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." It has taken 19 years, and we still aren't through this yet. We have been ignored, we have been ridiculed, we are currently fighting a war that is bigger than any of us. However, we are not alone. The pirates, the net neutralists, Google, Red Hat, Canonical, and to a degree, Apple, stand behind us. We share a common enemy, and together we will win.

But this is not a war that is won with violence, neither with words nor physical acts. I ask that you observe these three rules during this crucial time.