Re: [PLUG] Advocacy

[Jeff Dean <jdean@ieee.org>]

At 02:57 PM 4/5/00 -0400, you wrote:
>I was talking a friend (and co-worker) of mine.  He's an IT professional,
>has been for years, and even comes from a Unix background.  For a couple
>of years now, he's been interested in giving Linux a go.  
(snip)
>1) Because it provides me with a stable OS to use on my older PC.  Plus, 
>it makes for an good development platform.
>2) Because I refuse to give anymore money to Microsoft for the bloated
>crap that they try to foist off as software!
>And please don't tell me people don't tell me that people don't respond in
>the manner of #2; they do.

I'll bet you're right - there is probably an identifiable group out there
that doesn't like Linux because others think it's cool.  But don't you
think that's a ridiculous position, most likely shared by a relatively
small portion of the IT community?  There are lots of people who think
Chevys are cool, and AS/400s, and Granny Smith apples, and N*Sync, but I
doubt there's much of a movement to  avoid those things because they have a
following (I avoid AS/400s and N*Sync for my *own* reasons!).  Who cares
who likes Linux?  Does it matter to your friend that Linux devotees are
enthusiastic, that Redhat and VA and Andover (et. al.) are amazing capital
successes, or that Linux is truly free?  Maybe, maybe not, but establishing
an opinion about Linux or anything else based on a vocal minority's
behavior is simply prejudicial.

If your friend selects the best technology for his application and budget
he should be happy, and won't need to pay any attention to all those
zealots, Linux or otherwise.



Jeff Dean
jdean@ieee.org

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