Mixing it up a little from the usual fair of Pogo-san and Dr. Roy, the latest is an article from Linux Journal. Neelie Kroes (IT Guru for the EU) has come out saying that proprietary software can leave countries locked in for decades. Never mind that making any decision effectively ties an entity to that infrastructure for the long term let consider the rest.
The reason people aren’t coming out and saying these things in the US is solely because the Dept. of Homeland Securities Cybersecurity Chief (or similar, the article only refers to him as the Cybersecurity Czar) worked for Microsoft back in the 90’s. In fact, after almost 13 years away from Microsoft he must still be so loyal that he is disregarding his patriotic duty by recommending MS products even when they are contraindicated. Nevermind that organization like the NSA and the Airforce use Linux where it is appropriate. Oh well.
Also, don’t forget to read the random dig at Apple at the end. A new evil empire is rising.
Comments
I can almost sense a new trademark…
GuiltyByAssociation™!
Hops around a bit, doesn’t it? Man buys top government job for $250; GM, Ford, and Chrysler have never gone bust at all, because they have Inhaled the Power of Government; “mandating” MS products for that ferociously competitive beast known as the US Government will hurt US productivity — because of security issues! Well, the guy is in charge of security — and, of course, Apple is even worse. Just because.
What a crock of sh1t.
@Delano
Not a bad TM, in fact. I notice that Dr Roy’s last post before he treated mama to a holiday in Chester and London (well, Chester’s nice, if not exactly exotic), included an approving note about “28-year veteran of Microsoft (who worked closely with Bill Gates)” but now works with RTOSes. Or possibly Linux.
It never seemed to occur to the silly little man that, if you’ve got 28 years worth of vested stock from Microsoft, you can do what the furk you like.
So, if you recant, you are a hero. If you don’t recant, like the head of HS IT Security, who wasn’t even given a chance to recant, you are the spawn of the devil.
Not really like a cult at all.
Any other GuiltyByAssociation™s out there?
The sentiment is prevalent, even if only the looniest of the loons will try to make a case out of it. The feelings about Mono and the MS code in the kernel are pretty good indications of that. If we can find references to them outside of BN (sorry, “techrights”) then I’ll make a TM.
Well, it’s another Damascene conversion story, but http://www.osnews.com/story/21543/Ex-Microsoft_Employee_Free_Software_Will_Kill_Microsoft is interesting in its own little way. I’ll keep looking for authentic GuiltByAssociation™ stuff.
One of the most hysterical respondents to that post is a man called David Lane, “a member of Linux Journal’s Editorial Advisory Panel and the Control Op for Linux Journal’s Virtual Ham Shack.” As dictated by LinuxIsFunny™, he is pictured wearing a particularly silly red hat.
I can do no better than to link to his “Disgusted of Podunk” reply: http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/oss-europe-vs-united-states#comment-353778
It contains pure essence of Loon. Imagine! A government department not replacing entire swathes of back-end systems so that Linux Desktop has a fair playing field on “routine file, print, database and operational servers!”
I don’t know what the world is coming to, I really don’t.
@Delano
Seriously, there are enough wilderness sightings for this TM. Off the top of my head, here are three more:
http://www.osnews.com/story/22225/RMS_De_Icaza_Traitor_to_Free_Software_Community
http://linux-network-plumber.blogspot.com/2009/07/congratulations-microsoft.html
http://opensourcetogo.blogspot.com/2009/06/when-zeal-becomes-zealotry-tawdry-tale.html
OK, OK, they feature known suspects like RMS and Schestowitz, but I think it’s important that they completely trash people who actually want to help FOSS, such as Miguel de Icaza and Lefty.
It’s also an excellent TM for comments like “hah! Blogger runs on Linux!”
Let me get this straight…
This guy thinks that… no.. It’s almost to strange to say..
Well.. guy donates 250$ to a organization which have several BILLIONS of $'s.. And thereby he.. is corrupt?
i mean.. what? really.. WHAT? someone care to explain it to me?
I mean.. That’s just stupid! .. it’s really beyond comparison.
amirite?
I tried to explain this fairly simple fact in the comments of the blog, but just got random abuse hurled at me. (Which is fine. I’m used to it and probably deserve it.)
It’s never a good thing to point out a logical fallacy to a Loon. Because their universe is perfect, there is no room for logical fallacies. Therefore it’s your fault.
Seriously, explain that “250$ donation = eeeevil’ness” thing!
I really really seriously can’t get my head around it!
Easy — you can pledge your life to Linux for $0, so anybody prepared to pony up $250 has clearly made the ultimate Faustian pact.
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