Re: LLM usage in Debian -- ballot options comparison

[Note: I am not a Debian Developer, Debian Maintainer, Debian
Contributor, or really Debian anything.  I just lurk on the mailing
lists, eat popcorn, and occasionally poke my nose in where it does not
belong.  Further, I should (prematurely, because it hasn't happened
yet (And now it has. (Wow, Clippy.  WTF?)  Repeatedly.)) note that
portions of this message MAY contain traces ^H^H..^H portions ^H^H..^H
an entirity (Clippy caught a misspeeling! (Clippy wanted to kerrect
something that was deliberately and intentionally inkerrect!)) of "AI
slop", (Here too!) because I am posting using GMail and GMail now
embodies Microsoft Clippy ("hallowed be thy name ...").  Finally, as
always, I remain a dog on the Internet.  (Bet you didn't know that!)]


On Wed, Jul 29, 2026 at 9:32=E2=80=AFPM Holger Levsen <[email protected]=
g> wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 29, 2026 at 08:50:05PM +0200, Lucas Nussbaum wrote:

> > With the assistance of AI...
>
> I dont think I am the only one who finds this a tiny bit (cough) offensiv=
e,
> we are discussing whether using AI should be forbidden and you just smoke=
 in
> the shared space thinking the GR will allow that.

Personally, when I first read the original message by Mr. Nussbaum
(Clippy wants to make this "Mr. Nussbaum's original message!"! (Clippy
wants to modify this too!)), I found it to be, well, hilarious.  (Not
offensive, I should point out!  Just, funny.)  In that, in (Here,
too!) a debate / discussion preceding (Clippy fixed!) a vote on
whether Debian should allow for (Clippy wanna fix!) or ban the use of
tools popularly known as "Generative AI", "LLMs", etc, someone would
use such tools to summarize the various POVs / proposals, and I assume
also the commentary supporting and discrediting each proposal.

(Wow.  I just did the "[Tab] to improve thing" Clippy offers me, at
this instant of writing, I've never tried it before, and what Clippy
offered me was MASSIVELY different than what I've written to this
instant.  Not necessarily wrong, or worse, depending on one's POV, but
substantially *different*.  Fortunately there was an "Undo"
capability, so I was able to retrieve these shining pearls of prose
you are currently consuming.  I think that, after I finally post this
message, I will write a second version of it, incorporating the text
as posted and then doing "Clippy, fix!", and seeing what Clippy wants
to do with the result and post it here too, just so people (who are
willing to do so, I am aware there are some who'll avert their eyes
immediately upon being made aware a message incorporates content
created by generative AI, and that's all right with me!) can see what
Clippy wants to do.)


Please note, I am not trying to be *dismissive* of what Mr. Nussbaum
has done and offered up for consideration!  I am not trying to show
derision towards it, or contempt!  (Side note: Yes, I opened up
another window and looked at an online thesaurus website.  I knew I
wanted to use some other terms, but was unsure of what I should
(Clippy wants to strike! (And here too!)) use.  Thank you Internet!)
I ... (Clippy!) think it was a perfectly reasonable thing for Mr.
Nussbaum to do, (Clippy!) in this current day and age.  I have no
problem with it, myself.  I just thought it was really amusing, given
the context.

Also, I should say, I myself have NOT gone to look at what Mr.
Nussbaum has created and provided!  (At least, not yet.)  Because of
that, I do not have personal knowledge of what is there, nor have
(Clippy!) made a personal judgement as to whether I agree that what's
there is a fair and accurate summary of the entirity (Clippy!) of the
discussion to date.  However, I *assume* (and certainly HOPE!), that
what's there *is* indeed a fair and accurate summary (at least as of
the instant he posted the link to it; maybe it auto-updates as new
comments in this discussion are posted?), because I know Mr. Nussbaum
is a long time and well known (e.g. "Big Name Developer") member of
the Debian Project, and because frankly it would kind of defeat the
point he's trying to make to post an unfair or inaccurate (Clippy!
(And recursively!)) or biased-towards-his-personal-position summary
(and I'm sure he knows this!), and because, well, we're all supposed
to be assuming (Clippy!) good faith.  Right?


Oh.  I should note, concerning other responses to Mr. Levsen's
response received by me (Clippy!) up to the instant of my writing
(Clippy!) this message.  I, personally, GIVEN THE CONTEXT OF THIS
DISCUSSION IN ITS ENTIRITY (should be a Clippy! here too, eventually),
*can* see where *some* people reading Mr. Nussbaum's original message
could or would find it offensive (again, IN CONTEXT), perhaps akin to
"burning tires in a bonfire" even.  That does not mean that I myself
agree with Mr. Levsen.  I think I do not.  However, I think I can see
where Mr. Levsen is coming from and why he's saying what he said; I
think I understand (at least to a point) *why* he said what he said;
and I think that, from what I believe to be his POV and position, that
what he wrote was reasonable and (as already referred to above)
offered "in good faith".

Again.  This does *not* necessarily mean that I agree with Mr. Levsen
or his position (as perceived by me) towards Mr. Nussbaum's original
message.  But I think I understand it, and (Clippy!) personally think
it was offered "in good faith".  (Not that what a dog on the Internet
thinks matters to anyone.)


Anyway.  That's what I wanted to say, concerning this particular
message.  (I'd originally intended to respond directly to Mr.
Nussbaum's (Thanks for pointing out my error in speeling (No, that was
*meant* to be inkerrect, Clippy!) his name, Clippy!) original post
when I first read it a few hours ago, but since Mr. Levsen posted his
response to Mr. Nussbaum in the time between then and now, I decided
it made more sense to respond to Mr. Levsen's response instead.)


Thanks for giving me some of your time to read this polished prose I
have proffered for your perusal.  (Hah!  Take THAT, generative AI!)
Hope you found it of at least some use, (Clippy!) interest.  (Or at
least worthy of lining the bottom of a birdcage, assuming of course
that you *do* have in fact have a birdcase, and preferably one that
actually contains a bird within it!)  Be well.  Take care.  Do good
things.


Joseph


PS: If this message *was* in fact entirely created by a sufficiently
capable generative AI using a suitable prompt ...  (Not that I expect
you to believe me if I tell you that it was not.  ("Was!")  (Was not)
("WAS!!!")  (Shuddap, Clippy.  Schtupid bot ...)) Could you tell?