[luau] OpenSourceAdvocates

[Ronald Willis]

Thanks you JC,

> On 7 Oct 2002, Warren Togami wrote:
> >> Open-source software advocates will unfurl a legislative proposal next
> >> week to prohibit the state of California from buying software from
> >> Microsoft or any other company that doesn't open its source code and
> >> licensing policies.
> >> http://news.com.com/2100-1001-949241.html
> >
> >I disagree, if we advocated for the banning of proprietary software, we
> >would be hypocrites to be advocates of free "choice".

The message in this post is not to limit anyones choice, but by the
method that our fellow advocates have chosen to get their point across.

The State of Hawaii has finally gotten the message by the fact that this
WUG even exsists. They think very highly of what goes on here on this
list and are greatful for the wealth of knowledge. They represent a new
breed of brave IT managers that go out of their way to embrace the Open
Source Model by visiting the seminars and conferences on the mainland, and
integrating that knowledge into the future infrastructure here in our
humble little state.
 
> >Bruce Perens launched "Sincere Choice" initiative as an alternative to
> >Microsoft's "Software Choice" and these "Ban Proprietary Software"
> >legislations in California and several foreign countries.
> >
> >"We seek to provide a fair market in which Proprietary and Open Source
> >software can compete solely on their merits."

Support the initiative of your choice. The message is all the same, 
disclosing the "freedom" to use alternative software!

I unfortunately work with the general public (SOHO) and you would be
shocked at how the majority of them are just blindly resistant to change
because of the psychological dependence and down right fear of using
anything other than what is familiar to them. 

When I go into these offices (of about 25 - 50 computers) and interview
the staff on their computing habits, and discover how many of them think
that MSN is the one and only default search engine on the Internet I am
reminded of the challenging task ahead of us all. 

Google.com is appreacited by some, but fear consumes the masses and wont
consider change until they are forced to change to limit virus attacks.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Ron



On Tue, 8 Oct 2002, Jimen Ching wrote:

> On 7 Oct 2002, Warren Togami wrote:
> >> Open-source software advocates will unfurl a legislative proposal next
> >> week to prohibit the state of California from buying software from
> >> Microsoft or any other company that doesn't open its source code and
> >> licensing policies.
> >> http://news.com.com/2100-1001-949241.html
> >
> >I disagree, if we advocated for the banning of proprietary software, we
> >would be hypocrites to be advocates of free "choice".
> 
> I doubt those people are against free choice.  Having choice and having
> source code are orthogonal.
> 
> >Bruce Perens launched "Sincere Choice" initiative as an alternative to
> >Microsoft's "Software Choice" and these "Ban Proprietary Software"
> >legislations in California and several foreign countries.
> >
> >"We seek to provide a fair market in which Proprietary and Open Source
> >software can compete solely on their merits."
> 
> Are you and Bruce Perens saying free/open source software do not compete
> solely on their own merits?
> 
> I believe we are talking about government purchased software.  No one is
> preventing you (personally) from buying proprietary software.  But if the
> government is going to spend my tax dollars, I want to make sure they
> spend it on good software.  Also, have you read some of the business
> models that RMS suggested?  I believe one of them is government support.
> 
> Unless I am mistaken, UH gets some of its funding from the government.
> Perhaps the government should reduce UH funding so they can pay Microsoft
> more money.  And why should we stop there, we should have another demo day
> and advocate that people consider proprietary solutions.  Why should we
> limit the choices of our audience?  It's not like they are spending my tax
> dollars.
> 
> Sorry for the heavy sarcasm.  I just can't believe I am reading this email
> on a mailing list that is supposedly advocating free/open source software.
> 
> --jc
> -- 
> Jimen Ching (WH6BRR)      jching at flex.com     wh6brr at uhm.ampr.org
> 
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