Mike McCarty wrote: > Kent West wrote: > >> Mike McCarty wrote: >> >>> If people around here (and elsewhere) would quit treating Linux/GNU >>> project as if it were a religion, a political statement, a way to >>> change the world paradigm, a poke in the eye at the mythically evil >>> MicroSoft Empire, an end to capitalism as we know it, and a triumph >>> of the downtrodden masses over the evil rich in general, and treat it >>> as an Operating System and associated Support Programs we'd ALL >>> be better off. >> >> >> I chose Debian years ago, and continue to do so, for its >> philosophical value as an OS, not for its technical value as an OS. >> So I'm not quite sure your statement here is accurate. > > > IMO, an OS does not have a philosophical value. It is a computer > program. > > OTOH... > > The considerations which entered into your choice to use > an OS are a personal matter, and one which may be a valid > topic for discussion here, as to the merits of one > or other distro or OS. Certainly so. Especially to someone > who is still trying to make a decision about whether to > use Linux, or to use a particular distro, or is just curious. > But hate mail is not attractive, nor is religious fanaticism > about an OS or distro, which is what I was trying to address. > I guess I didn't make that clear. > > E.g., if one wants to discuss the merits of Linux vs. Windows, > then "I think you should use Linux because it will make Bill > Gates MAD! I want Microsoft to DIE! As long as you continue to > use Microsoft products, you are playing into their hands! We > need to KILL the EVIL EMPIRE NOW!" isn't a message which is good > for Linux, good for Debian, or good for the GNU project. > > One which might be good, would be "I chose to use Linux, partly > so that there would be competition with the Microsoft products. I think > that the competition will be good for consumers, and probably make > the Microsoft product better, as well. I also like the idea that > I can get the source to the programs. If I use the Microsoft products, > and they decide to drop support, then I have no recourse. With > open source, I can continue to do my own support, or contract for > it, if need be." > > Perhaps that illustrates what I'm talking about. > > I once commented here that I loaded Linux on my machine because I > landed a software development/support contract, and was requested > by my employer to do so. I was told, in very bold, explicit terms, > that people like me, who loaded Linux for MERCENARY reasons (all > caps were used as you see here) were not welcome here, and I should > leave. So I pretty much did. I had had enough. > > Instead of being happy that Linux was making inroads into some > commercial areas, and expanding its influence, the fellow was incensed > that anyone would actually make any money from loading Linux. He acted > as if he hoped that Linux never displaced any Microsoft installations at > any company. One would think the hopes would be that Linux would do > exactly that. But his emotions clouded this thinking. > > Perhaps that also illustrates what I'm talking about. > > Mike
To be honest, Mike and all others, the hostility in this list was worse in the past. I felt some improvement in this respect. I don't follow other linux lists to be able to compare, but in forums certainly there are competition and hostility, so I don't think debian is a special case of hostility. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
