On Fri, Mar 01, 2002 at 02:23:35AM -0600, John Buttery wrote:
> This may sound a little more harsh than I mean it. This isn't a
> flame, just a statement of opinion; please take it as such...
>
> One of the worst things that is happening to Linux (and when I say
> "Linux" I'm including the BSD children and the rest of the new wave of
> open-source OSes, software, etc) is people's apparent deep-seeded need
> to legitimize it to Windows users (and when I say "Windows" I'm not just
> talking about RedmondOS, but a certain mindset that prevails regardless
> of OS).
You know, enlightening people, showing them a better, easier, more
elegant, powerful way of working is part of a generous mindset, it's
called fraternity.
It's not "us" versus "them", we share all the same world and one can't
live in supreme isolation. As I already stated on this list: if you
don't evangelize Linux and its wonderful tools to the masses then you
will follow the path of all elititist groups: obsolescence. Hapiness
alone is not hapiness.
Do you think Linux would have thrived as it does without any evangelism?
The lower you place the barrier to entry into a better world, the
stronger we will be collectively.
In your ideal world you'll be part of the 1% who uses "correct"
software; with whom will you be able to communicate once the other 99%
use a proprietary mail protocol, because free tools were too hard to use
and nobody cared to promote them?
> Show them the mutt web page. If they don't see the advantage, well,
> why waste time trying to convert them?
Paraphrasing Paul Léautaud: "Let's stop right there. There is an abyss
between us. I would only shock you, and you would make me laugh."
Too bad the world your attitude prepares is no laughing matter...
--
HIPPOLYTE: La fille de Pallante a vaincu votre fils.
Je l'adore, et mon âme, à vos ordres rebelle,
Ne peut ni soupirer ni brûler que pour elle.
(Phèdre, J-B Racine, acte 4, scène 2)
