Re: : Teacher tells students Linux is “illegal” and confiscates their copies

[Tyler Aviss]

I saw this on slashdot as well. It doesn't mention the full name or
school of the teacher involved. Apparently "Helios" has been known to
pull odd publicity stunts in the past as well.

Personally, I'd hate to see that somebody could be so ignorant, but
experience has taught me that it's definately possible.

- TJA

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 11:25 AM, Mike Ward <unforgiven24-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> This is so absurd it makes me want to suggest it's a publicity thing.
>
> - Mike
>
> On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 10:57 AM, Michael Lauzon <mlauzon-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>>
>> Found this on Slashdot, however the quote is taken directly from the
>> blog -- with a link to the blog -- and the subject of the message is
>> taken from another story pointing to the blog:
>>
>> "...observed one of my students with a group of other children
>> gathered around his laptop. Upon looking at his computer, I saw he was
>> giving a demonstration of some sort. The student was showing the
>> ability of the laptop and handing out Linux disks. After confiscating
>> the disks I called a confrence with the student and that is how I came
>> to discover you and your organization. Mr. Starks, I am sure you
>> strongly believe in what you are doing but I cannot either support
>> your efforts or allow them to happen in my classroom. At this point, I
>> am not sure what you are doing is legal. No software is free and
>> spreading that misconception is harmful. These children look up to
>> adults for guidance and discipline. I will research this as time
>> allows and I want to assure you, if you are doing anything illegal, I
>> will pursue charges as the law allows. Mr. Starks, I along with many
>> others tried Linux during college and I assure you, the claims you
>> make are grossly over-stated and hinge on falsehoods. I admire your
>> attempts in getting computers in the hands of disadvantaged people but
>> putting linux on these machines is holding our kids back.
>>
>> This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and
>> putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping
>> these children at all. I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they
>> would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older verison
>> of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service
>> to those receiving them..."
>>
>>
>>
>> http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/12/linux-stop-holding-our-kids-back.html
>>
>> --
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Michael Lauzon
>> --
>> The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
>> TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
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>
>



-- 
Tyler Aviss
Systems Support
LPIC/LPIC-2
(647) 302-0942
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
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