Score -1 at best. What if the answer to that was
"No, I don't run Linux. It was recommended to me, and I was told that CLUG was running an Installfest this weekend. I purchased a small used computer for a couple of hundred bucks, and was planning to show up to learn a bit, and basically have my hand held when I installed Linux for the first time. However, having been on this list for a few days though, I've seen that people who ask for help are made to feel stupid. And with Andrew's post, I can see that this belittling of newbies is encouraged as something that is funny by the more experienced people and should be done publicly so that the experienced can a good laugh at the newbie's expense. In this case, it wasn't even the person with the problem who was being laughed at, rather it was a CLUG member who was trying to make him/her feel welcomed into the group. Since I can see nothing except humiliation for myself for the foreseeable future if I start down the Linux path, I've decided that it would be in my best interest to stay with my Legacy Windows environment. It keeps me comfortable. I can accept a learning curve, but not the taunts, and jeers that will evidently come with it. Further, if this is an example of the community spirit that supports Linux, I'm not really sure that it's the type of thing I'd like to bet my organization on. Sincerely, The CIO of some major corporation responsible for their global IT direction." And is that really such a stretch? Would his comment still be funny if it was your manager who started this thread, and at the end of the day, he decided to sign a multi-year deal to stay with the current Legacy products on the servers after you had spent months proving to him that upgrading to Linux was a better solution with adequate support? What would the "score" be then? +1 for us getting a giggle. -100 because he just locked Linux out of particular situation (regardless of how large or small) by making the community look like a bunch of schoolyard bullies. Would it be more than -100? Does it matter if the lost installation is a single desktop (of a user who becomes an active advocate or developer), or if it was a huge multi-national company? What if it was the next Andrew Tridgell who just walked away from Linux? Maybe it was an MP sitting around a table talking about implementing Linux for the federal government. Maybe it was a CBE staff member who would have pushed Linux for our schools. Here's a thought. How much did your snide comment just cost Linux. And I don't mean in dollars. You *individually* represent the Linux Community. And that's even more true when you make negative comments. Kev. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew J. Kopciuch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 9:58 AM Subject: Re: (clug-talk) My CLUG posting problems > On Friday 18 October 2002 09:58, Cade Cairns wrote: > > On Fri, 18 Oct 2002, Cameron Nikitiuk wrote: > > > Welcome to the group Johnny and sorry for your rough beginnings with us. > > > Pay no mind to some of the people on this list. If anyone gives you > > > grief just tell them to piss off. If they can't help you and are only > > > going to complain then they aren't worth listening to. Don't let their > > > arrogance and rudeness sour you on the hoards of nice friendly helpful > > > folk in the group. > > > > I didn't see you offer any help. Do you even run Linux yet? > > > Score! > > >
