[oclug]Xandros: [mingp@xandros.com: Re: iso]

[Michael P. Soulier]

On 23/10/02 GR Gaudreau did speaketh:

> [gr]  Mike, why do we have to convert them? Is that what you rhink 
> Linux is about? I'm not challenging you here, just trying to understand.

    I'm arrogantly pushing my ideology on others, my good man. :) 

<speech>
    We don't _have_ to convert them, unless you're a fanatic and then stay
away from me. However, I believe part of what this group stands for is trying
to help the world at large with what we believe are superior solutions for
computing needs than most if not all commercial entities currently provide. 

    I don't know about you, but when I see someone adding stress to their life
by making a boneheaded choice, I take pity on them and offer my help. If they
don't want my help, fine, but at least I tried. I consider anyone relying on a
Microsoft product to be in this class of my fellow human beings who are
hurting themselves without knowing it. It's like driving by broken-down Ford
owners on the highway in my Saturn. I feel like stopping and asking them how
far they actually expected to get in a "Found On Road Dead?" (apologies to any
Ford owners in the audience :)

    My personal aptitudes don't permit me to affect change in the world on the
scale that I would like to, but everyone can make a small contribution to make
the world a better place. As long as big, bloated corporations concern
themselves more with making money at the expense of others than simply doing
what is right, the masses must find a way to stand up to them and not get
short-changed. In the world of software, those masses are open-source
developers, and those who aid them. 

    I don't think that converting the masses is necessarily what Linux is
about. Linux is about choice, IMHO, and freedom. Groups like this one exist
not only to share information with each other about this wonderful freedom,
but to advocate that choice and freedom to others, so that those who know
nothing about it are aware of their options. In the end, if someone chooses
against Linux, let it at least be an informed choice. 
</speech>

    Thank you for your time,

    Mike

-- 
Michael P. Soulier <msoulier at storm.ca>, GnuPG pub key: 5BC8BE08
"...the word HACK is used as a verb to indicate a massive amount
of nerd-like effort."  -Harley Hahn, A Student's Guide to Unix
HTML Email Considered Harmful: http://expita.com/nomime.html
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