On 5/18/10 10:34 PM, JD Austin wrote:

On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 22:28, Technomage <technomage.hawke@gmail.com> wrote:

Even now, there are those who either cannot believe there is a problem, or they lie to themselves (and others) stating no problem exists. for them I feel nothing but pity. Unfortunately, they tend to have louder voices and also outnumber us "smart people" 10:1 (its called the tyranny of the stupid).

anyway, I've said my say on it and will now return to my regularly scheduled flame throwing viewing
(already in progress).

Typically I see such people get their information from single sources or like sources and don't question or try to see the bias in the reporting. The bias is on both sides but if you're looking it is clear as day. It is unfortunate that most media outlets have an underlying agenda in most cases.

yes, it is amazing though, isn't it? even to the point of trying to paint linux in a bad light
(remember the MS wars of a few years ago and all that FUD?).

The biggest problem here is that most media outlets do have an agenda (generally that of their owners,
most of whom are very afraid of the general public at large and seek to control them in such a way as to
"minimize" those fears). anyone not thinking the way the news media does these days are considered threats
and are dealt with in a number of ways (marginalization, vilification or no report at all). They use the
"no news is good news" approach as the best. so if you don't get your say, no one knows that you said it.

Microsoft tried this with linux when it first started (mostly by ignoring it for the first couple of years,
then spreading misinformation <vilification> then trying to marginalize the upstart OS and finally just
trying to buy off the media to make it disappear in the noise level).

the same thing is happening in our current administration at the federal level, only they have a few extra tools
(such as declaring you an 'enemy combatant" or suspending your civil rights under the Patriot act, or even planting
stories of investigation, etc). make no mistake, they (the powers that be) are powerful, but more importantly,
they are very afraid. They need to be reminded that "we the people" are the ones in the driver's seat, not them.