[Sussex] Scary..

[Steve Dobson]

Geoff

On Thu, Jun 02, 2005 at 05:15:49PM +0100, Geoffrey J. Teale wrote:
> Steve Dobson <steve at dobson.org> writes:
> > Geoff, I'm surprised at you.  I thought that you would have seen
> > this for the obvious FUD that it is.
> 
> ---- %< ----
> 
> My comment about "not agreeing" was supposed to indicate this.

One can disagree with something while still seeing that the other side
has a valid point of view (I think we've done this from time to time).
Enderle doesn't fall into this category.

> I still find it an interesting opinion for anyone to put across.
> Interesting because it represents a view point that is so far askew
> that is unbelievable.  

I've followed the SCO v. IBM for some time now, and check Groklaw 
daily, so I've seen FUD articles like this before and the analysis
needed to take them apart.

> His stance was just plain wrong on the nature of
> unions, never mind Linux.  That said I imagine that there are slashdot
> readers who would find his idea of an all-powerful linux cartel deeply
> alluring!

It is worth remembering that there is a big difference between unions
here and in the US.  Love her or hate her Thatcher's reforms of union 
law have helped make the unions more accountable and democratic - this
is a good thing.  I don't believe that these reforms exist in the US.

I view (maybe wrongly) that the company/union relationships in the US
are more like they were here in the 60s and 70s - a them and us 
relationship.

If I am correct, then any middle or upper management that were to read
Enderle's article could get the impression that Linux adoption could
lead to problems like allowing unions into the company have lead to
problems.

Any new system (business process, technology, whatever) has to be
handled in the appropriate way.  A ruler can become a tyrant, a company
monopolistic.  But the wise learn from the past and try to improve things
with each new phase.  While I do not subscribe to the theory that a
change is either good or evil, I do subscribe to the theory that mankind
has manage to pick those changes that have increased the overall good.
I believe that Western Civilisation is better than Roman or Greek 
civilisation, as they were for the civilisation that came before.

So what I think we are seeing here is FUD is part of the older,
property order, attempting to hang on to what they understand.  Linux
is showing that there is a new way writing software, maybe of even
doing business as a whole.  I do not believe that Linux is the Answer,
but I do believe that Linux is one stepping stone on one of the paths
to the Answer.  I can't tell you what the Answer is, I don't even think
I know what the Question is.  :-)

Enderle, O'Gara and others appears to be just providing a line that 
helps prop up the old order, helps maintain the status quo.  It is
carefully crafted, but I don't believe that those writing it believe
that what they are writing is an honest account of the events.

> Nice analysis of Enderle though.. I've never read one of his pieces
> before and was not aware of his god awful track record.

Well, I've been reading Groklaw a lot, as a result I read this knowing
more of the events Enderle was mis-reporting, at little Google and
searching was enough to provide the facts in a new light. :-)

-- 
To err is human -- to blame it on a computer is even more so.
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