[oclug] Unix: the Way, the Truth and the Light was [OT] Programming/Routing problem

[Francis Pinteric]

--- Sandy Harris <sandy at storm.ca> wrote:
> Francis Pinteric wrote:
> 
> Two points that I think contradict each other.
> 
> > System and other configuration relating to Linux systems is on
> topic.
> > ...
> > Interfacing Linux (or anything) to Microsoft anything is OFF
> topic.
> 
> The second point is nonsense. There is a lot of MS software out
> there,
> and discussion of how to make Linux work with it (samba, vmware,
> ...)
> is a legitimate topic here.

I, of course, disagree vehemently. As for the amount of MS software
out there, so what? All of it must be destroyed or converted to run
on some sort of Unix/Linux system. Your particular attitude comes
from the notion that the type of software you use, the operating it
runs on or the people who make the stuff is irrelevant, as long as it
does the job. 

This utilitarian approach is naive and misguided. First, we all agree
that Microsoft is a monster and must be stopped (curtailed,
destroyed, you choose). Their whole way of doing business is immoral,
illegitimate and illegal (so says a U.S. court). They continue their
immoral practices even today with their reaction to anyone who they
percieve as an enemy. By using their software, and even by allowing
other systems the capability of interfacing to their system (except
in the case of migration from Microsoft to a good system) only
supports them.

By giving Linux (or any other system) the capability of seamless
inter-operability does the same thing. It is providing a service to
Microsoft that they should not have in the first place. The goal of
the revolution that we are all at the beginning of is a Microsoft
free world. Unless a person on this list wants to interface his Linux
box to a Microsoft system for the sole purpose of migrating files off
said system, or to DHCP a good system to it with the aim of replacing
it in toto, then it is illegitimate.

> 
> > Giving advice to Microsofters other than dumping the OS is OFF
> topic.
> 
> No. 
> 
> Some MS-related questions are off-topic. Consider the person who
> asks
> here how to configure an Exchange server, on the theory that such a
> knowledgable bunch will be able to help. They should be told off in
> no
> uncertain terms. The deails are a matter of style. I'd be inclined
> to
> flame them to smoldering slag; others might be polite.

Now, that's a good attitude. You agree with me here. I would of
course tell him that Hell is populated with Microsoft collaborators
and non-Catholics. That would be about as polite as I would get.

No, actually, these days I ignore the whole thing and then once in a
while stur the pot on this list just to vent some steam over the fact
that there are still (sigh) people out there who think that Microsoft
has the right to co-exist with the rest of world.

> However, a question about how to make Exchange work with a Linux
> firewall, or how to make Outlook send properly formatted messages
> so Pine users can read them or ... is legitimate.

Perhaps, unless you're using your Linux box to provide a mail service
TO an Exchange system. That is wrong. For instance, there was a
message on this list (or was it on another one?) that asked for a way
of being able to use their Apache server as a front end to some slew
of Mircosoft boxes to remove unwanted and vindictive virii from mail
before passing it along to the sickly Microsoft box. My position is
that the Linux box should NOT remove the offending virii and allow
the Microsoft box to self distruct. However, the removal of known
Unix virii would be legitimate.

>>>--fja->

=====
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in
a time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality"
  -- Dante

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