On Tuesday 11 November 2003 10:36 am, Collins Richey wrote: > On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 08:02:05 -0800 Tony Alfrey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Monday 10 November 2003 08:11 pm, Joel Hammer wrote: > > > Yes, I have also found another use for windows. Politics. I have > > > gotten, by default, the job of getting us up and going with digital > > > photography in our pathology department. > > > > > > You have to experience it to believe it, but our IS department is > > > trying to make my life as difficult as possible because I bought a > > > computer from the digital camera company, not through IS. Our IS > > > steals software and hardware from people who buy through them and not > > > straight from the vendor. Seriously. And, of course, IS bids for > > > hardware are slow and over priced. If I suggested linux, they would > > > use that against me for sure and fight like tooth and nail all the > > > way. We are talking seriously computer impaired but politically savvy > > > people. They have to be politically savvy because they keep their > > > jobs despite knowing nothing about computers. > > > > I consulted for a place once that, when I told IS I wanted to run linux > > on the in-house computer they gave me to use, basically threated to > > fire me. I literally had to hide the linux partition on the box. I'm > > not there anymore, and I'm sure the partition is still there. They > > probably can't figure out why the hard disk only appears to be half as > > big as it is supposed to be. > > Just another proof of the maxim: If you don't know sh*t, you will be put > in charge of those who do.
True, perhaps; but a little harsh. People fear failure; and most have "learned" that Unix is too hard. I remember, as I shopped for my first computer, being told that DOS was too hard for normal people; and that I would never use the full power of the new Mac-Plus. A few years later, as Windows 3.1 and 3.11 came out, I heard the word "Unix"; but always in the context that it was "too hard". Somewhere along the way, the thought that the command line was too hard became an assumed truth -- a mild, communal brainwashing, if you will. In a society where so much effort is made to make our world more convenient, it is not natural to challenge such truths -- just use Windows. It's as fair to think that IT professionals know better as it is to think that doctors don't abuse drugs, legislators always obey the law and CPA's never bounce checks. In the course of learning Linux I've come to the realization that many IS staff are just people with jobs. It's not the way I want it; but I can work with it. Andrew Gould _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://smtp.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
