[PLUG] Requium for HB 2802

Steven A. Adams stevea at nwtechops.com
Fri May 30 15:54:02 UTC 2003


On Thu, 2003-05-29 at 12:17, Brian Hazlehurst wrote:

> Steven, I give you credit for being persistent, but I can't make sense of
> your argument with the bill which leads me to suspect your motivations
> (sorry, but that is a natural consequence...)

Persistent I am, always right I am not. My motivations for saying the
things that I did are deduced from experience, looking closely at the
numbers and trying to remember that operating systems are nothing more
than tools to help us work instead of gods to pray too.

> Affirmative Action is a response to an inappropriate balance of power, in
> this case the power over the marketplace of computing technologies. Either
> you dissagree that there exists an imbalance or your dissagree with the
> method for correcting it (or, as it often sounds, you just got caught up
> in the personalization of it all). If you disagree with the method, then
> you must have another method in mind, which I haven't really heard (aside
> from your reference to ODOT's private/silent campaign? why not leverage
> the larger hammer to get the job done right?).

The proper application of Affirmative Action should work well to assist
in ceasing the oppression of a people but I don't believe that it would
apply at all to operating systems or software. The MS bucks are huge
enough that the FTC and Justice Department is willing to look the other
way even with conclusive evidence that they are an illegal, predatory
monopoly. So you see, it's not that I oppose Affirmative Action, I just
oppose the application of Affirmative Action as it relates to
technology. 

Yes, I have a method, my method is to continue to work on deploying real
Linux based solutions as ODOT. This is where I can make a difference
that we will all see in the shortest amount of time. My method has the
blessing of senior ODOT management all the way up. This method has
proved to be successful and is growing in support from within, it would
be great if it enjoyed the same support from the community.

Your correct to assume that I was caught up in the personalization. You
would likely be equally offended if you were in my shoes. The way that I
handled my temper in this instance was immature and unacceptable and I
have since apologized for my outrage and the offense that it may have
caused.

> Again, not being able to understand your method to get to the goal that
> you claim to share with me (i.e., success of OSS, because it is good),
> should I just conclude that you believe in "tough love" for OSS instead?
> (Note: we agree that the free-market method to achieve the goal falls
> apart when monopolies are involved, right?)

Not at all. I have just as much love for computing platforms as I do my
Hitachi hole shooter, I use the tool for what it's good for and am
usually happy with the results. This stuff is not a living, breathing,
biological entity that is worthy of love, in my opinion, it's just
another tool in my toolbox. Do I want to see OSS fail? Of course not, if
that were true I would be working all day and night on z/OS or MVS
instead of putting together Linux solutions for ODOT business units. Do
I want to see Windows fail? Not at all, I would like to see the
management at MS clean up the way that they do business and make the
conscious decision that greed and ruthless domination is not more
important than quality and integrity.


I sincerely hope that this answers your questions. If for some reason
you would like to continue this conversation please feel free to use my
personal e-mail address as I think PLUG has probably grown weary with
this thread.


Steve





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