Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
I wrote to him. His response was as follows. The basic jist of my email, was that he spoke from a very biased standpoint. Dear Sir Your letter makes a lot of assumptions. The UK's businesses, the SME market which forms the vast majority of UK businesses - and in particular those who are NOT in IT, predominantly use the Windows operating system. I write from a great deal of experience of discussion, surveys and a quarter century in the industry. It is not Windows propaganda, it is fact, borne of practical experience. I will always listen to anyone who puts a reasoned article forward. Linux has its place in the server market, of that I have no doubt and without Linux the embedded market would be very different - however in the PC market, Windows XP pretty much has things wrapped up. That isn't an opinion, it's a hard, cold fact. If that situation changes then I will of course try to advise accordingly. I look forward to hearing from your colleague - I hope however that his communication is more reasoned and less insulting. Sincerely Peter Scargill On 23/05/07, Paul Tansom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ** Nicholas Butler [EMAIL PROTECTED] [2007-05-22 20:40]: Chris Rowson wrote: I found this article here http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=7loc=it Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Nick, you're involved with the FSB aint'cha... I'd be having a word! Chris Thanks I am a member and I will call him tommorow . If anyone else is a member of the FSB can they let me know ** end quote [Nicholas Butler] Yup, I'm a member, and I'm sure I've exchanged emails with Peter before regarding previous incarnations of his Linux v Windows piece, and I know at least one other person has. His attitude to the speed with which he bins any OS that can't talk to his Windows network out of the box is nice given Microsoft's attitude to making the information available to do that! I've decided that I will no longer talk to anyone who doesn't speak fluent Pluggerish, a language of my own devising for which I will not be publishing any dictionaries of phrase books. Sadly my range of Pluggerish brain implants, apart from being purely fictional, aren't as ubiquitous as Windows, so I can't get away with that ;) For somebody with the IT experience he claims, he sure fails to demonstrate it. I guess specialising in a narrow area of Windows (or any narrow area for that matter) leaves you at a loss when outside your own field of expertise - much like asking a GP to do brain surgery or visa versa. -- Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/ Aptanet Ltd. | Registered in England | Company No: 4905028 Registered Office: Crawford House, Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants., PO7 6NU -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/ -- Never mistake motion for action... This message was sent by, Charles Henry Turner, Age 17, United Kingdom. -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
Peter Scargill wrote: I look forward to hearing from your colleague - I hope however that his communication is more reasoned and less insulting. Charlie, I'm not aware of what was in your e-mail to Mr. Scargill (although I'd like to see it) but it seems you touched a nerve. Please could we make sure we represent the Ubuntu and Linux communities in a diplomatic and friendly way. We're not going to boost the popularity of either by being insulting or otherwise unpleasant, especially to those who hold some influence over others. We need to take a more educational and informative stance towards people who don't get it. The more welcoming we are as a community, the more people will be interested in becoming part of it. Regards, -- Andy Price http://andrewprice.me.uk -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff [long post]
Matthew Macdonald-Wallace wrote: [Long post snipped] Matthew, Good message. I've just come off the phone from Mr. Scargill, who is an incredibly reasonable chap with some very positive things to say about Ubuntu. The point on which I absolutely agree with him is that integration/interoperability - for many businesses, this is the most important factor, since the costs of sorting out interfacing issues can (and in my experience frequently do) cost rather more than the software licences. He said that Ubuntu is the best version of Linux he has ever seen. He said that if he were starting a small business from scratch for office-based staff, he would use Ubuntu on the desktop. He also said that he had not yet come across good Linux tools that supported the mobile user base as well as the Exchange Mobile solution, so if he had mainly a field-based operation, he'd probably still go with Microsoft SBS. He said that he would like to know of any good tools to provide Exchange Mobile - equivalent solution for messaging (not email, but the more generic messaging problems.) I'm with him on that - I have a good email client (ThunderBird), but it's not a replacement for Outlook (as opposed to Outlook Express.) His biggest criticism of Linux is that what we see as choice is very close to confusion. And that one man's modular solution is another's set of different packages that need to be bolted together. What I think that we, as a group, often miss is that most people want a balance between choice and certainty. In some areas - the car I drive - I want to absolutely be able to pick something quirky and unusual (which is why I drive a Morgan.) In other areas, like say laser printers, I just want the certainty of dealing with something I'm familiar with and that I know will work (which is why I have an old HP Laserjet 4M Plus and an HP Colour Laserjet 2600n) - because I knew that I would be able to take them out of the box, and get them working in five minutes. While, on my personal PC, I want to be able to fiddle and install whatever software I want, when I was running helpdesks I had a duty to keep the overall cost of IT (not the licence cost - but the overall cost) down, because that was the mandate from the Board. The easiest way to keep costs down is to have complete standardisation across the organisation (I was supporting about 2,000 people across 6 locations) - that meant that I needed to have my desktop support staff trained in one set of applications - as a result of that, we could concentrate on building value-added services that would work across that set. Our problems came when one unit wanted, say, to use Excel instead of 123... or Word instead of WordPerfect (this was about 7 years ago - now the MS solutions are the incumbents...) The biggest thing we could do as a community to expand the installed reach of Linux would be to persuade Dell and PC World to offer Linux with a range of cheapest PCs... so that it became the value option. The reason that I'm on the Ubuntu list rather than that of any other distro is that I see the Ubuntu foundation / Canonical as the group with the most clear vision of how they are going to achieve that. When people raise criticisms, the winning approach is NEVER to say You're wrong - you need to do X, Y, and Z, but always to say Good point - what can we do to improve it? Mark -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
Chris Rowson wrote: Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Actually I found out exactly who writes this pro MS anti Linux stuff... It's the chairman of the FSB IT committee, who coincidentally develops software using - you guessed it - Microsoft based development software... How on earth can that be an impartial article. As it's linked to from the main bloomin' page, thousands of small businesses are seeing pro-microsoft propaganda from a certified Microsoft developer Something needs to be done about that! Mr Scargill's personal site is here http://www.scargill.net His business site here http://www.willowdesign.info/data/default.asp?id=3loc=willow The article that you linked to didn't seem particularly 'anti-linux' to me, unless you are going to *require* that all articles hype-up Linux like a rabid fanboi's idiot rantings. Is it not acceptable to point out that OOo is not a match for Office - but is probably adequate for the many people who use only a small fraction of Office's capabilities? It is, after all, true. Do you really thinkthat supporting Linux is easy for the non-technical? Which bits of the article do you think are 'badly researched'? I use MS dev tools. And I like them. I use them by choice, because they're 'comfy'. Does that mean *I* can't have an unbiased view either? I've been developing professionally on Solaris for nearly 20 years and my use of Linux predates Yggdrassil (which I should probably research how to spell, but WTF). I'm happy to choose which platform I use, for what, and when. Does my choice of Microsoft products for some tasks make me an idiot? Does having written Windows 1 programs (hmm, and OS/2 programs) disqualify me? I really disliked the tone of your message. I couldn't see obvious self-propaganda or personal gain - what do you mean, precisely? James (And if anyone has any use for an original retail Red Hat Linux 5.1 box with the CD still in cellophane, let me know. The carboard isn't pristine since its been knocking around on assorted shelves and through several moves, but it was never used. Can't remember why I bought it!) -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
** James Mansion [EMAIL PROTECTED] [2007-05-23 13:10]: Chris Rowson wrote: Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Actually I found out exactly who writes this pro MS anti Linux stuff... It's the chairman of the FSB IT committee, who coincidentally develops software using - you guessed it - Microsoft based development software... How on earth can that be an impartial article. As it's linked to from the main bloomin' page, thousands of small businesses are seeing pro-microsoft propaganda from a certified Microsoft developer Something needs to be done about that! Mr Scargill's personal site is here http://www.scargill.net His business site here http://www.willowdesign.info/data/default.asp?id=3loc=willow The article that you linked to didn't seem particularly 'anti-linux' to me, unless you are going to *require* that all articles hype-up Linux like a rabid fanboi's idiot rantings. Is it not acceptable to point out that OOo is not a match for Office - but is probably adequate for the many people who use only a small fraction of Office's capabilities? It is, after all, true. Do you really thinkthat supporting Linux is easy for the non-technical? Which bits of the article do you think are 'badly researched'? I use MS dev tools. And I like them. I use them by choice, because they're 'comfy'. Does that mean *I* can't have an unbiased view either? I've been developing professionally on Solaris for nearly 20 years and my use of Linux predates Yggdrassil (which I should probably research how to spell, but WTF). I'm happy to choose which platform I use, for what, and when. Does my choice of Microsoft products for some tasks make me an idiot? Does having written Windows 1 programs (hmm, and OS/2 programs) disqualify me? I really disliked the tone of your message. I couldn't see obvious self-propaganda or personal gain - what do you mean, precisely? James ** end quote [James Mansion] For me the niggle, and I take your point that it isn't specifically anti Linux or pro Microsoft, is the tone and perhaps style of the piece. I like to think that I have a pretty balance background to give a reasonably unbiased view on things having worked with MS Windows since around 3.0, DOS back to version 1.x as well as OS/2 and others. When I read it I come away with the impression that Linux isn't all it is hyped up to be in some of the pro Linux press, and although it may be OK for a techy enthusiast it is best not bothered with. It comes across as very dismissive and the last but one paragraph sums up the impression I get of the authors view of Linux for me. If it can't drop in and completely replace Windows running all my Windows applications, connecting to all my Windows resources and be used without me noticing it isn't Windows then I'm not interested. It is the most dangerous form of writing about Linux in many ways. It isn't so much anti Linux, it doesn't quote inaccuracies as facts (although I'd never have thought of Unix as 'cheap'!), but it does present a very dismissive view that discourages further investigation. I could probably write a similar piece that dismisses Windows as pointless and not worth considering given that the only reason I have ever chosen it as the tool for the job is because everybody else uses it, there has always been a better tool for my purposes, oddly even when administering a Windows NT domain - for which I used Red Hat 6 and VNC, although NT on the desktop was a must in some cases. But then when I was working at IBM and the lab I worked in needed a 'fact sheet' (not brochure, that would cost too much as it would have been forced through the internal print shop, marketing, etc., etc.) I ended up doing it on my Amiga using Protext and Deluxe Paint, even before my days with Pro Page. -- Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/ Aptanet Ltd. | Registered in England | Company No: 4905028 Registered Office: Crawford House, Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants., PO7 6NU -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff [long post]
** Mark Harrison [EMAIL PROTECTED] [2007-05-23 12:54]: Matthew Macdonald-Wallace wrote: [Long post snipped] Matthew, Good message. I've just come off the phone from Mr. Scargill, who is an incredibly reasonable chap with some very positive things to say about Ubuntu. It must be the quality of his writing then, he totally fails to get that across unless you re-read it with that in mind. I read the positive comments as an 8/10 for effort, but still not good enough to even consider as more than a curiosity. The point on which I absolutely agree with him is that integration/interoperability - for many businesses, this is the most important factor, since the costs of sorting out interfacing issues can (and in my experience frequently do) cost rather more than the software licences. It always will be until alternatives to MS reach critical mass. At the moment the simple fact that it isn't MS is the biggest black mark against any alternative. It's a case of asking whether something is a good alternative and having the simple fact that it is an alternative defining the answer to be 'no'. sniop office-based staff, he would use Ubuntu on the desktop. He also said that he had not yet come across good Linux tools that supported the mobile user base as well as the Exchange Mobile solution, so if he had mainly a field-based operation, he'd probably still go with Microsoft SBS. He said that he would like to know of any good tools to provide Exchange Mobile - equivalent solution for messaging (not email, but the more generic messaging problems.) I'm with him on that - I have a good email client (ThunderBird), but it's not a replacement for Outlook (as opposed to Outlook Express.) I really should dig into this Exchange issue more, I know it does collaboration, but I've never found a situation where this has been of any use, or not enough to justify the costs involved. Back when I was last involved with a consideration of this sort it was not cost effective to use Exchange instead of the Netscape product, largely due to the client access licensing costs, but also because the single aging RS6000 that was capable of running the Netscape solution would have to be replaced by 4x Pentium Pro (that ages it!) systems with requisit NT Server and Exchange Server licenses. SBS was always dismissed due to the fact that whilst MS required the licenses to be run on a single machine, they also recommended not running everything on a single machine! His biggest criticism of Linux is that what we see as choice is very close to confusion. And that one man's modular solution is another's set of different packages that need to be bolted together. A tricky one this, end users don't want choice, nor to IT managers because it opens up the possibility of making the wrong one, but IT staff do (well, those that are in it because they like the job as opposed to those I've come across that are in it because it pays well and care not a jot for IT). What I think that we, as a group, often miss is that most people want a balance between choice and certainty. In some areas - the car I drive - I want to absolutely be able to pick something quirky and unusual (which is why I drive a Morgan.) In other areas, like say laser printers, I just want the certainty of dealing with something I'm familiar with and that I know will work (which is why I have an old HP Laserjet 4M Plus and an HP Colour Laserjet 2600n) - because I knew that I would be able to take them out of the box, and get them working in five minutes. True, but you had the initial choice between vendors and now have chosen to stick with one. Not exactly agreeing or disagreeing there! While, on my personal PC, I want to be able to fiddle and install whatever software I want, when I was running helpdesks I had a duty to keep the overall cost of IT (not the licence cost - but the overall cost) down, because that was the mandate from the Board. The easiest way to keep costs down is to have complete standardisation across the organisation (I was supporting about 2,000 people across 6 locations) - that meant that I needed to have my desktop support staff trained in one set of applications - as a result of that, we could concentrate on building value-added services that would work across that set. Our problems came when one unit wanted, say, to use Excel instead of 123... or Word instead of WordPerfect (this was about 7 years ago - now the MS solutions are the incumbents...) I remember that one well. Being an ex-IBM location meant using Lotus Smartsuite, but everyone wanted MS Office because it came on their home PC and their customer/supplier used it too having bought the latest Dell machine off the shelf (remember when you couldn't easily buy a machine without MS Office installed?). No manager would sign off on MS Office across the site because Lotus concurrently licensed, where MS insisted on one license
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff [long post]
Sorry for the delay , Ive been out on site helping a business to get bedded in and sorted with their 2 user Ubuntu Desktop installation. mobile user base as well as the Exchange Mobile solution, so if he had Scheduleworld.co.uk with iCal and Google and SyncML intergration allows me to sync contacts and calendars between Mozilla Thunderbird and my Phone. His biggest criticism of Linux is that what we see as choice is very close to confusion. And that one man's modular solution is another's set of different packages that need to be bolted together. Yes, quite abit like trying to buy the correct Vista version and the appropriate licenses for MS Server 2003 with File/Terminal Client/Device access licenses then. And the Clearing house delay of upto 2 weeks can be ludicrous. Ive not had a chance to write and speak to Peter Scargill I would point out this is not the first time he has reviewed open source software. Anyway I would like to pass you this comment from the client I am not at all technically minded and I have been using Ubuntu now for 2 weeks and I am finding it incredibly easy and user friendly. Initially I was nervous about making the change and because it took me a while to master Windows and Outlook Express I didn't want the hassle of learning something new. Nik gave me a quick and simple lesson on how to use it and left me to experiment (safe in the knowledge that I could call him if I needed to). I was up and running confidently and quickly and have had no problems at all. it is fantastic. Jo Parker , Certain Shops. Same delivery, different platform . The Difference? This client will never experience vendor lock in. Cheers Nik -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff - the offical reply [long post]
Interesting thoughts, I don't agree, but then again, I think that he may be a fan of MS to the point where he will not change. It is my belief that people who hold the same beliefs as Peter are not the people we should be targeting and trying to convert, it's the ones who have doubts about MS and it's functionality. Excuse me for butting in but since when has it been our purpose to convert people. Help, yes; encourage, yes; but convert sounds a bit too much like the inquisition for me. Go for the easy win and quietly build up the client base, then attack with the statistics that x number of users are more at home and more productive with Ubuntu that Vista... We get no brownie points for introducing folk to Ubuntu so why the need for attack and win, why the belligerency? I enjoy Ubuntu, I enjoy the cut and thrust on this group but the rest I am prepared to leave to Canonical. Norman -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff [long post]
I have also written to Mr Scargill. I have tried to remain respectful, and in retrospect I did come on a bit strong initially. Chris -- Hi Peter, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chris; and I work in second line support specialising in Microsoft based infrastructure built around Active Directory. I'm also a Linux user (at work and at home) and would like to comment on your Linux article on the fsb.org.uk website. It's great to see that the article title has now been changed to include the fact that it is an opinion. This is rather important ;-) I wonder if you are aware of the Ubuntu 'answers' support system. You can see it here: https://answers.launchpad.net/ This system allows users to direct any question they have about running the operating system to a volunteer group who will for *free* reply with a advice to fix the problem. I thought it might be beneficial to include this fact in your article. Currently it reads Or you can choose Linux which is often free and then struggle with support (which probably won't be free). I'd also be interested to find out what problems you had with Ubuntu discovering your Windows network 'out of the box'? When plugging in Ubuntu Feisty to a Windows domain, it seems to work fine for me! If you find the same, perhaps you'd like to edit the part of your article that reads. Those installations of alternative operating systems which won't recognise my Windows network out of the box are immediately binned, those which do are given serious consideration to reflect the fact that Ubuntu does. I find this paragraph a little confusing. Linux enthusiasts have always had difficulty understanding why the average user would not want to get stuck in and have a go when it comes to making changes or installing accessories. For most small businesses, computers are a tool, nothing more. You don't expect to configure a hammer or sit for hours downloading and configuring updates to your CD player just to make it work. That pretty much happens with modern XP and VISTA-based packages - Are you saying that Linux needs lots of updates etc? This is also true of Windows. I've lost count of the times I've had to install dotnet, java, flash etc just to get apps up and running. I wonder if you could clear this paragraph up for me a little too. you simply cannot even BEGIN to compare the functionality of Open Office with Office 2007 - its not even remotely in the same league It'd be helpful if you could point out which features are lacking in Open Office so that we can see where we are going wrong. There are indeed 'horses for courses', and of course in some areas Microsoft excels and in others Linux does. I just feel that you are in an extremely privileged position, and that your opinions could influence the buying habits of FSB users heavily. Given that your employment centre around Microsoft, perhaps it would be better for someone else to write and article about Linux who is not involved ? Thankyou for your time. Kind Regards Chris -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff - the offical reply [long post]
Quoting norman [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Interesting thoughts, I don't agree, but then again, I think that he may be a fan of MS to the point where he will not change. It is my belief that people who hold the same beliefs as Peter are not the people we should be targeting and trying to convert, it's the ones who have doubts about MS and it's functionality. Excuse me for butting in but since when has it been our purpose to convert people. Help, yes; encourage, yes; but convert sounds a bit too much like the inquisition for me. OK, may be convert was a bit strong, maybe I should have used the words open the eyes instead... ;o) Go for the easy win and quietly build up the client base, then attack with the statistics that x number of users are more at home and more productive with Ubuntu that Vista... We get no brownie points for introducing folk to Ubuntu so why the need for attack and win, why the belligerency? I enjoy Ubuntu, I enjoy the cut and thrust on this group but the rest I am prepared to leave to Canonical. Fair enough. Personally, I feel that Linux is something that we should be helping promote. I may not get so called brownie points for introducing people to Ubuntu, but I do get a lot out of helping people discover open-source: 1) The feeling that you've helped someone resolve an issue without costing them money 2) The ability to take part in such an active community and learn huge amounts about people's viewpoints on why they use this software. 3) The opportunity to meet new people and possible business contacts 4) The chance to spend some of the little free time that I have giving something back to the community that has helped me so much over the last seven years. I could probably list a few more things if I thought about it, however my main aim with open-source is not to preach to the choir as it were, but rather help those who need computers to give themselves and their families/friends a better start in the digital age where all essays and papers from primary-school to doctorates need to be typed up. Linux and Open Source is not, in my view, about whether to use KDE/GNOME/Vi/Emacs/Windows/Linux/etc. but about enabling people to be more productive at a lesser financial cost. That is why I support the Linux movement and intend to continue to contribute for many years to come. Regards, Matt. -- Matthew Macdonald-Wallace Group Co-Ordinator Thanet Linux User Group http://www.thanet.lug.org.uk/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] GPG KEY: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=getsearch=0xFEA1BC16 -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
[ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
I found this article here http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=7loc=it Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Nick, you're involved with the FSB aint'cha... I'd be having a word! Chris -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Actually I found out exactly who writes this pro MS anti Linux stuff... It's the chairman of the FSB IT committee, who coincidentally develops software using - you guessed it - Microsoft based development software... How on earth can that be an impartial article. As it's linked to from the main bloomin' page, thousands of small businesses are seeing pro-microsoft propaganda from a certified Microsoft developer Something needs to be done about that! Mr Scargill's personal site is here http://www.scargill.net His business site here http://www.willowdesign.info/data/default.asp?id=3loc=willow -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
Thanks I am a member and I will call him tommorow . Cheers Nick People abusing positions of power for self-propaganda and personal gain is one of my pet hates!!! Let us know how you get on. Chris -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Chris Rowson [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Actually I found out exactly who writes this pro MS anti Linux stuff... It's the chairman of the FSB IT committee, who coincidentally develops software using - you guessed it - Microsoft based development software... Great article, well made me laugh. Obviously so colour blind he didn't spot the green underlines all over the page of his beloved Office 2007. :- -- Gregory -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
Chris Rowson wrote: I found this article here http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=7loc=it In some cases the FUD spread about open source is damaging. Without mentioning names I know one guy who wanted GIMP on the windows machine at his work place to aid with some graphics work, he was told by the I.TSupport (and therefore management) that they can't install it as it may infringe on copyrights, and patents. They also claimed it could be a security risk to the network. Sounds like they are listening to Microsoft's FUD campaigns. Lee -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
On 5/22/07, Chris Rowson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Actually I found out exactly who writes this pro MS anti Linux stuff... It's the chairman of the FSB IT committee, who coincidentally develops software using - you guessed it - Microsoft based development software... How on earth can that be an impartial article. As it's linked to from the main bloomin' page, thousands of small businesses are seeing pro-microsoft propaganda from a certified Microsoft developer Something needs to be done about that! Mr Scargill's personal site is here http://www.scargill.net His business site here http://www.willowdesign.info/data/default.asp?id=3loc=willow -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/ As much as he may be pro MS, isn't it interesting that he can't completely refute the Linux alternative? :-) We live in a world where even people that are completely alienated away from Linux, have a hard time now saying it's crap. It would be interesting to see how long he used Ubuntu for, before he made up his mind and wrote the article. Kris -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Who writes this stuff
** Nicholas Butler [EMAIL PROTECTED] [2007-05-22 20:40]: Chris Rowson wrote: I found this article here http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=7loc=it Who wrote this? I've not read anything as poorly thought out and badly researched as this in a long time! Nick, you're involved with the FSB aint'cha... I'd be having a word! Chris Thanks I am a member and I will call him tommorow . If anyone else is a member of the FSB can they let me know ** end quote [Nicholas Butler] Yup, I'm a member, and I'm sure I've exchanged emails with Peter before regarding previous incarnations of his Linux v Windows piece, and I know at least one other person has. His attitude to the speed with which he bins any OS that can't talk to his Windows network out of the box is nice given Microsoft's attitude to making the information available to do that! I've decided that I will no longer talk to anyone who doesn't speak fluent Pluggerish, a language of my own devising for which I will not be publishing any dictionaries of phrase books. Sadly my range of Pluggerish brain implants, apart from being purely fictional, aren't as ubiquitous as Windows, so I can't get away with that ;) For somebody with the IT experience he claims, he sure fails to demonstrate it. I guess specialising in a narrow area of Windows (or any narrow area for that matter) leaves you at a loss when outside your own field of expertise - much like asking a GP to do brain surgery or visa versa. -- Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/ Aptanet Ltd. | Registered in England | Company No: 4905028 Registered Office: Crawford House, Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants., PO7 6NU -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
