OT: Linux - Stop holding our kids back

[James Mcphee]

Hmm...  Whether or not the story is real doesn't really affect us one way or
the other.  I believe we can all agree that the action taken in this
possibly fictitious account is not a good example of how to advance the FOSS
cause.

In the discussion, though, it seems that people have seen problems with
educators needing educating about the alternatives to MS.  Does anyone know
any good material that doesn't speak down to the lay-person?  I've found
that most people, and cash-strapped educators particularly, are open to new
information if presented in a non-threatening and non-confrontational
manner.

MS dumps billions into advertising with little to counter it.  It's no
wonder the average joe/jane has a skewed perception of history and their
current options.  I think having a simple response to someone spouting the
MS tagline would be beneficial to the cause.  Something like "Please visit
intelligent-sounding-site-name.com if you want to hear the other side of the
story."  I've looked a bit, and most of the FOSS propoganda can best be
described as erudite and at worst, rabid.  Does anyone know of a good site
that can be referenced to ejumacate folks?

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM, Joshua Zeidner <jjzeidner at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 1:48 PM, Lisa Kachold <lisakachold at obnosis.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:31:27 -0700
> >> From: jjzeidner at gmail.com
> >> To: plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> >> Subject: Re: OT: Linux - Stop holding our kids back
> >>
> >> On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 12:22 PM, Alex Dean <alex at crackpot.org> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > On Dec 10, 2008, at 11:16 AM, Joshua Zeidner wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 10:47 AM, Mike Hoy <mhoy06 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Personally I believe that this blog is false. I think it was made
> up
> >> >>>> just to spark a FOSS/MS debate, just like this one we're having
> now!
> >> >>>> :)
> >> >>>> Just smells a little fishy to me...
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I was thinking the exact same thing.
> >> >>
> >> >> Same here... the story seems very fabricated.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Could be. But the "believe me because you're dumber than me" attitude
> >> > that
> >> > the blogger takes toward this teacher (fictional or no) is quite real,
> >> > and a
> >> > problem that many of us suffer from.
> >>
> >> well that does contribute to my opinion... seems like hes creating
> >> this effigy of the evil anti-OSS person and then tearing her apart.
> >> The whole thing just seems generally like a stupid scheme concocted by
> >> some sophomoric linux user. Note that there are no sources, no real
> >> names, what looks like some kind of institutional name (but you can't
> >> make out what it is). Ive seen totally false stories like this
> >> propagate through the net, so I have my doubts.
> >>
> >> -jmz
> >>
> >> >
> >> > I think it's a barrier to spreading free software when its advocates
> are
> >> > poor at making a point non-technical people will understand and relate
> >> > to.
> >> > That was the point of my initial comment, and I think valid regardless
> >> > of
> >> > the underlying facts of this particular story. Don't tell people why
> >> > they're wrong/misguided/stupid. It only turns people off. Focus on
> >> > what's
> >> > good about what you're doing, not what's bad about what they're doing.
> >> >
> >> > alex
> >> >
> >
> > Yes it's an urban anti-technology myth, cleverly posted here by trolls!
>
>   awesome picture.  I wonder if those things are genetically related to
> Furbys.
>
>  an interesting thing I've noticed in recent years is that 'troll'
> has come to be used interchangeably with 'someone who doesnt agree
> with me'.
>
>  -jmz
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-- 
James McPhee
jmcphe at gmail.com
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