[cumbria_lug] Microsoft poster

[trevor at haven.demon.co.uk]

All,
First of all it would be unfair of us to push the responsibilty onto Schwuk,
we all need to take-part in decision making.

Mike>When a company is calling a community-run project a "cancer", such a
Mike>hideously distasteful remark, engaging in severe anti-competitive
Mike>practices and trying to destroy the good-will work and jobs of
Mike>thousands of programmers around the work, do you even want to talk to
Mike>someone from such a company?

Trevor<Microsoft have made many remarks that I find offensive, they belittle the
Trevor<efforts of a huge number of people and have set out to damage and ultimatley 
Trevor<destroy a public work of international importance.  This is not good thinking.
Trevor<Yes I have some things to say to them !

Mike>Yes, this man doesn't necessarily reflect the damaging efforts from
Mike>Microsoft execs, but he had a choice -- he could've used his
Mike>programming or managing talent to help make the world a better place.

Trevor<The man has got to work, He has a job and not everyone can make a
Trevor<living out of GNU/Linux.  I make my living from supporting HP-UX, Solaris
Trevor<and Windows. I support Linux and have taken on a free-software package
Trevor<to develop and support but I will not make a penny out of it, I am
Trevor<doing it for myself and I believe other people will benefit from my
Trevor<efforts. This is Charity and is according to Microsoft un-Americain.

Mike>I'm no mouth-foaming Microsoft hater by any means, but let's not
Mike>forget that they're solely out to destroy Linux and the community. If
Mike>he wants to learn from Linux and become part of the community, he
Mike>should look carefully at his own life first!

Trevor<I do at times get very angry at the actions of Microsoft.
Trevor<I am aware of the eventual aim. I don't believe destroying a
Trevor<community is a clever thing to do in the long term as it will
Trevor<stick in peoples minds that Microsoft took away free software !

It's your call Schwuk, but I certainly don't want anything to do with
employees from a company's behaving so badly and causing so much damage.

Mike


Steve>>
Steve>Well said... and I quite agree...


Steve>If your given the opportunity to complain, and you don't take it, how could 
Steve>we be expected to destroy the Beast without resorting to a ravening mob 
Steve>wielding pitchforks and burning torches (although I do like the sound of that)

Trevor<I think that's a let him post to the list vote ?
Trevor<This is a public list from which we have only exluded Mr Tambo, 
Trevor<We do need to push our opinions to people from Microsoft as
Trevor<they may not understand what GNU/Linux is all about and are
Trevor<treating it like competition from another company. They need
Trevor<to be educated to the point where they say in meetings,
Trevor<"Linux bashing might not be a good idea, it's our own customers
Trevor<who are creating it ! By attacking 'Free software authors' we are attacking
Trevor<I.T. proffessionals in positions which include purchasing decisions."
Trevor<I know not all Linux users are I.T. proffessionals nor are all
Trevor<I.T. proffessionals Linux users. However Linux does appeal strongly to
Trevor<I.T. proffessionals particularly those with a UNIX background. A software
Trevor<supplier ought to be very aware of this and I would if I were Microsoft say,
Trevor<'Linux is not about to take over the desktop market, it's users have a high
Trevor<proportion of I.T. people who influence decisions if not take them and most
Trevor<also have and use my product, I don't want to set about doing my level best
Trevor<to alienate these people."
Trevor<I would allow the man to post as we can choose, individually if we wish to
Trevor<talk to the enemey or not. Mike might choose not to, I would. Personnal choice.
--
Weird Trev trevor at haven.demon.co.uk  trev at bigtrev.port5.com