Hello: Why so hostile a reply? I'm on your side and from UP also. The point is that many still do not understand LINUX and many more are unaware of it. A fact that a world-class intellectual like Dr. Nemenzo--an intelligent person who ponders over Philippine social problems--has gone over to the LINUX side should be good news for you. As for the adage, "Where UP goes, so also the nation" has been repeated by many post-war generation members of the University of the Philippines community. So much so, it now has become a mantra. But there is a truism to this when it comes to social and political events. And so, may I ask? Why are you so mad about this fact? A successful implementation there would serve as harbinger of the fact that Linux could be the vehicle for the Philippines to become a knowledge society. That LINUX has encountered resistance from non-techies in UP is a warning sign that efforts to shift to Open Source could meet irrational opposition. And so, those who believe in this platform must find ways to advocate its greater use in a more persuasive manner. Meanwhile, among the shrillest opponents of the LINUX migration in Diliman are members of the Students Alliance for National Democracy. They consider the shift to Open Source as a surrender to the "US-Arroyo regime"'s decision to slash the UP budget. Can anything be more irrational than this? As I said, I merely forwarded the post in hopes of making LINUX advocates aware of the fact that many among the general public still have misconceptions about this platform. And BTW, most people who drive cars do not know too much about motor engines and automobliles. Hence, they are non-techies. Most PC users know nothing about operating systems, CPUs, and RAMs. All they do is click "start" on Windows, so that they may begin to use their computers. Microsoft knows this. Lousy though their operating system may be, they do have smart marketing people. That is why, they are assidously cultivating the non-techie college crowd. The fact that Microsoft's Sam Jacoba has been assigned to business development of the academic sector is proof of this. And as I had said earlier, I merely forwarded the post. It originally came from a newsgroup of activists discussing LINUX. There, Dr. Nemenzo's essay, "Ibagsak ang Digital Imperialism" had also been forwarded to from the official UP portal. My friend, all technologies have social implications. One cannot be a techie for techie's sake. Most especially if one passionately believes in LINUX. Peace pare and Long Live the Linux Penguin. Ike
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