MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-05-28 |
| FROM | Michael Richardson
|
| SUBJECT | RE: [hangout] Big Business & World Perceptions - Linux on the Des ktop
|
Evan as I said before I am not discussing the merits of any product. What I
am trying to impress upon those who create, upgrade, and promote GNU/Linux
is to stop saying that it is not ready for the desktop. When you say it is
not ready people will go elseware and not come back. If you wish to point
out what you think are flaws please do so. BUT LET THE PERSONS
(CORPORATIONS) WHO WILL USE THE PRODUCT DECIDE WHETHER IT WILL DO WHAT THEY
WANT.
I will add this IF YOU WAIT TO HAVE THE PERFECT PRODUCT BEFORE SELLING IT
YOU WILL NEVER SELL IT.
-----Original Message-----
From: Inker, Evan [mailto:EInker-at-gam.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 6:32 PM
To: 'Marco Scoffier'
Cc: 'hangout -at- nylxs . com'
Subject: RE: [hangout] Big Business & World Perceptions - Linux on the
Des ktop
Marco,
I'm glad you have no problem being placed in the same category as our
Revered Mr. Gates and that integrity is not an issue when delivering a
"solution' to your clients and yes, before I become accused of not having
respect for you and Ruben, I do hold you both in esteem and as fellow IT
Professionals. What you fail to understand and see is what the 'Corporate
World' perceives and as I am not mistaken, I would have a much deeper and
true view of what Corporate is as opposed to yourself and/or Michael and
Ruben. As to MS Business practices and 'living in the gutter', let me just
remind you that the IT Glut that has engulfed the US and World Economies has
released MS, SUN, etc related IT professionals as well as Free Software
professional back into the ranks of Unemployment so please don't infer that
'being better than Bill' makes one live in the squalor. That would be
insulting my intelligence and yours. Without a doubt, the proliferation and
sudden demise of the market by Start-Ups and Dot-Coms as well as the
entrance of new IT Professionals into a collapsing marketplace was a major
factor as well a decline in the World Economy as whole. The only good point,
if there is one, is that MS tried redoing their licensing agreements during
an economic decline and was rightly hosed and slapped down hard for it (With
the exception of 5 Major companies in NYC, no one has upgraded to XP and
most have stayed where they were on 9/11/2001 and MS was forced to re-think
their licensing schemes and maintain support for current OS and Applications
software)
"Microsoft has sold virus prone unstable junk for years marketed as the most
innovative, and most 'must have' product ever to have existed."
Granted. Marketing Hype and BS but very effective. I do not remember
disagreeing on this point, do you?
What you fail to understand is that the Corporate World interacts with other
corporate entities who are not using Free Software (at least not on the
desktop
In this scenario). Corporate Desktops must be able to open MS Word, Excel
and PowerPoint Docs without losing format (mind you, Star Office has come
the closest as per a recent article (as well as I have used it on MS OS and
FreeBSD) but naturally, NYLXS wouldn't use or endorse it because it costs
$$$ and is a proprietary version of OpenOffice) and unless you can
communicate with your clients in a format they can understand and have the
ability to manipulate the data, you are screwed big time. In a small Mom &
Pop office, it really makes no difference but in Corporate USA it makes all
the difference. And please don't suggest plain text, HTML, or XML (In the
future, Yes most definitely this will be the standard but not now..).
Lastly, the 'Cry of the Zealot' does more harm than good. Instead of telling
potential/existing clients "I only will do your entire network with Free
Software" as opposed to "let me show you how I can save you $$$ without
sacrificing and re-working your current infrastructure (aka, if need be Free
Software running on MS OS -or- slipping in a few Linux or BSD Servers to wow
the client and leaving the desktop for the immediate future when you can
convince, not alienate and/or berate the client on his shitty IT Knowledge
or lack of. Wake up and realize that getting one's foot in the door is
better than standing outside in the cold kicking the door...
As for the right to challenge me, please do but be prepared to debate the
merit of your case and not the fact that being slimy and as low as Gates
wins you your ultimate goal of Linux on the Corporate Desktop. I didn't
write the article nor fully agree with the article and its conclusions but
yet fully understand the conception which Major Business has regarding the
Linux Desktop. If that offends you, Ruben, Michael et al, so be it and good
riddance. As for your comment "Get off your ass do something good for the
world", just to recap: I brought Linux, OpenBSD, Apache, Ethereal, TCPDump
and assorted other Free Software into 3 of my Worldwide Offices (and
continue to do so)as well as actively pursuing relationships and providing
literature, Free CDs of Free Software, TCO Studies, and on-site
presentations with 4 different Business Group entities (totaling approx
3000+ Business members) and ongoing Free Software Business Case Seminars
all within the last 5 months. With the possible exception of some fine and
very needed Fair Use activities (which I give total credit to Ruben for
doing a marvelous almost super human job of coordinating and executing
flawlessly, which is no easy feat)
What have you done Marco?
And by your very clear admission earlier (There is no point being 'better
than bill') why should anyone do anything to help the World other than
further their own economic future in a positive fashion.....
Oh, And to clear up one last point, I do use Windows at home (98, 2000, and
XP) as well as Solaris 9, FreeBSD 5.0, OpenBSD 3.3, and ELX and Suse Linux
so I guess that makes me an "Expert" huh
Regards,
Evan aka "The Expert"
-----Original Message-----
From: Marco Scoffier [mailto:marco4linux-at-earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 12:33 PM
To: Inker, Evan
Cc: 'hangout -at- nylxs . com'
Subject: Re: [hangout] Big Business & World Perceptions - Linux on the Des
ktop
On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 04:49:47PM +0100, Inker, Evan wrote:
>
> So, in essence it makes you a 'software whore' no better than Bill
> Gates. While you should definitely make $$$ on your sweat and effort
> and I agree showing Free Software in its 'true best light', but
> 'lying, cheating, and generally being a scum-bag' are not
> characteristics I would want associated with Free Software....
Well lying cheating and being a scumbag has done nothing to dampen most of
the most powerful companies anywhere.
There is no point being 'better than bill' and living in the gutter.
Microsoft has sold virus prone unstable junk for years marketed as the most
innovative, and most 'must have' product ever to have existed.
If we don't push free software as the most important 'must have' product
today _NOW_ . We will never ever have a significant number of end users and
we will always be at the mercy of bill and co.
'Not ready for the desktop', is like the car salesman saying his car is 'not
ready for the highway' or 'not ready for the open road'.
The sale is killed before it ever started.
Everyone who uses free software primarily has a point when they stop caring
about playing catch-up. I know what I need to do with my computer and how I
can do it sustainably and efficiently using free software. I want to help
others to get to that point.
Doesn't do 'blah blah blah' I don't care I can do 'wizz bang whoopee'. Is an
arguement which runs around in circles.
In my opinion the greatest enemy to free software are the 'experts' who have
'dabled in it'. Installed a server at work, say , but use windows at home.
'Oh _I_ can do it (use free software)', they say.
'But _I_'m an expert', they think.
'Free software is not ready for the desktop', they say.
'You are a dandy, and a dabler. You do nothing by conviction. You treat
the world like a stream of junk on the other end of your remote, try this
zap to that, lets see what's going on over here. You are incapable of
recognizing the difference between a fine hand cooked meal an a microwaved
pile of grease. You are the greatest enemy to free software.'
Michael and Ruben and I are right to challenge you.
Get off your ass do something good for the world.
--
Marco
PS The 'you' in the diatribe is not 'Evan Inker' for whom I have respect,
but the 'expert' discussed above.
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NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
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NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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