June 5, 2002 01:18 am, J. Craig Woods wrote:
> Charlie wrote:
> > Wassup doc? (I'm sorry but I couldn't resist.)
>
> What it be like, dude?
>
> > The responses ranged from; "How much is Microsoft paying them for this
> > crap?" from an > aunt of a good friend, to his reply which is unfit for
> > quotation on a polite mailing list such as this. :-)
>
> Who is spreading those fucking rumors about this being a "polite mailing
> list"?
>
> :-)
It wasn't me! Honest!!! :-)
> > BTW did you know that the ZDNet Forum "Computer Help" was; for a very
> > long time, the "online support" link for Windows ME? Isn't _that_ just
> > "special?"
> >
> > ZDNet. Another site that I choose not to open.
>
> The source of these kinds of attacks on open source are inconsequential.
> This was posted so we could be aware of what some groups have as their
> agenda. It is very easy to dismiss this as so much propaganda coming
> from the likes of Micro$oft. A simple read of history shows us what
> dismissive attitudes cost Europe in May of 1940; what they cost the USA
> in Dec of 1941, and what they cost her again in Sept of 2001. We may
> consider such statements from an "influential think tank" to be just so
> much crap but summarily dismiss them at your own peril. I, for one, take
> these attacks on the future of open source development as very serious.
> Let there be no mistake about it: the barbarians are at the gate.
>
> drjung
I agree with you about the barbarians, doc. I did however get the information
from a site other than ZD/CNet. I have more "news sites" bookmarked than
almost any other type other than Linux sites, and I read most daily, or at
least skim the articles.
On the other hand who says I'm not making any noise about it? 9 out of 10 of
the people that I've spoken to about this latest FUD attack are Windows users
at work, or at home, or both. But that doesn't mean they are 'apologists for
the beast,' it just means they don't yet know how to use anything else. The
operative word is "yet" since the running score on my end is 32 "conversions"
since the release of Mandrake 8.2. Since I'm a dilettante, not an "IT
Professional" in any sense, I'd say that's not too bad. If each of the people
that have listened to me convince one more and so on ,the "little people"
like me are going to start demanding to know about a 'better way' for their
kids at school etc. On that note: My son (11th grade) is "being exposed" by a
teacher running the computer lab at the school he attends that is a die-hard
'Linuxer.' The group at his last 'report' to me (totally unofficial since it
isn't on the curriculum yet) that joins those two for their extra-curricular
computer activities now includes 14 students that found out what was
happening from my son and expressed curiosity and interest.
Plus two teachers that seem to want to learn.
I'm doin' my best. All I can see to do is what I've been doing. When people
ask me a question about things such as this article, or ask me what other
choice there is besides Windows, I show them. Amazingly it works more times
than not. The only 'talent' I'll admit to is a (small) facility with words.
I'm still learning the way around this OS myself ("veteran newbie"), so the
more I can read vis-a-vis answers to "how do I" questions; here, and on other
mailing lists and sites, the more I can pass on. But if I didn't believe that
what GNU/Linux in general, and Mandrake in particular, has to offer the
'normal computer user' was beneficial I wouldn't be here. Every "revolution"
has to have a starting point somewhere; no?
Thanks;
--
Charlie
Edmonton,AB,Canada
Registered user 244963 at http://counter.li.org
"The only way I can lose this election is if I'm caught in bed with a dead
girl or a live boy."
-- Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft?
Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
