David, please tell me you weren't part of this...

[Marcel Gagne]

Hello all,

Not sure who David is, but I'll keep the subject line intact for threading 
purposes.

On February 2, 2007 12:18:19 pm Evan Leibovitch wrote:
> http://www.crncanada.ca/content/software/opinion-this-publicity-li.shtml
>
> Kinda makes me proud that I unsubscribed from the ubuntu-ca mailing list
> a few weeks ago. Geez, how can such good software so badly represent
> itself to the public?
>
> I have to generally agree with the author about the sheer stupidity of
> this action. Can I assume that TLUG had nothing to do with it?

Thanks for bringing this up, Evan. Before I get on my soapbox, I want to give 
the people this guy overheard the benefit of the doubt. When sitting down, 
bantering over a beer, people make a lot of boasts they have no intention of 
carrying out. e.g. "I'm going to $damage_description that 
$derogatory_embellishment $name_of_target and dump him $some_location." 
Happens all the time. So this could just be all talk.

If it is even partly true, then I need to climb on my soapbox for a moment.

If people want to stand a respectable distance outside the ice house, blow up 
their inflatable Tux, educate a few people about Linux and open source, and 
hand out CDs, that's their right and I don't have any trouble with that. If, 
however, the article is representing fact and people actually meant to 
trespass, disrupt Microsoft's demo, and cause property damage, we have a 
serious problem on our hands.  

Technically, Linux and open source collectively represent a better product 
than what comes out of Redmond. Philosophically, Linux and open source 
software is good for the world, providing a level playing field that makes 
advanced technology available to those who might not otherwise be able to 
take advantage of it. It's also good for the environment, letting people 
reuse hardware rather than dumping it. I could go on but suffice it to say 
that the reason I put so much energy into promoting Linux and open source 
software is because I believe in it both techonologically and 
philosophically.  

I also firmly believe that Linux and open source software can win a greater 
mindshare with a positive message than a negative one. Let's not keep harping 
on about how bad our competitor is. Instead, let's show how good we are. 
Linux and open source boasts a fantastic, worldwide community. Let's show the 
world that our ethics are as important as out brains. 

As the article referenced by Evan suggests, Linux and open source do not need 
the kind of publicity that mayhem gets you. It's worse than a bad idea. 

[ Marcel gets off his soapbox ]

Take care out there.

-- 
Marcel (Writer and Free Thinker at Large) Gagné
Note: This massagee wos nat speel or gramer-checkered.
Mandatory home page reference - http://www.marcelgagne.com/
Author of the "Moving to Linux" series of books
   and the all new, "Moving to Free Software"
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