Boycott Novell: Champion of freedom or den of paranoia?

Occasionally right, merely because they sometimes manage to locate facts that appear to support the conclusion they have already come to.

The late, lamented US magazine "Brill's Content" had a big article on Microsoft's policies and actions regarding reporters.

Too bad that isn't on-line anymore. Made my hair curl. In the late 90s, MSFT and Wagg-Ed had a huge dossier on apparently every reporter in the computer news biz. And they actively courted them.

This sort of thing, in combination with the fairly-well documented astroturfing that MSFT does, and the perhaps more arguable and murkier shilling, makes it a bit difficult to *not* feel paranoid about MSFT. After all, they've had as much as $40 BILLION in cash reserves. That kind of dough generates a lot of interest, and the CxO's at MSFT probably feel something of an obligation to use it.

It's small wonder that a few people have crossed the line into outright paranoid fantasy.

I would classify Roy Schestowitz as a misguided defender of freedom. He truly invests a non-trivial amount of effort and passion in his work but passion alone doesn't make his style of journalism 'correct' (for the lack of a better term).

I cannot conclude the same things he does at the same rate he does. I think he jumps to conclusions far too quickly; he may be accurate in the long run but until his worries truly come to pass, he's just speculating. I also dislike his alarmist attitude and wish he would present the facts in a manner that is not so alarmist.

alarmist ... I wish he would present his facts in a coherent and individual verifiable manner, wothout using himself (ever) as a source of referance.

Short of that, a case of full blown paranioa who see's worst first, coupled with diarrhea of the keyboard.

Roy and Boycott Novell have the same problem that Creationist Christians do, and non-scientist proponents of human-caused climate change:

When you determine your conclusion beforehand (Novell weds Microsoft, which is evil, hence Novell is evil, hence everything Novell does is evil), the facts will always find a way to fit your view.

Sure, a few facts may have to be left out. Others may have to be prettied up. But, in the end, they all line up - or else.

@npan and others,

I'd totally agree with you and would even take the liberty of upping the ante. Instead of just jumping or leaping to conclusions, Roy's downright blasted into orbit with his conclusions and assumptions, and he keeps circling the Earth with the same format of continued circular references to his own previous posts. Consistent and periodic alarmism non-stop. Almost as though the ONLY cause that moves him is to keep hovering around to shoot down Novell............ nothing else!

His alarmist captions keep grabbing the attention of LXer, the attention of its readers, and the attention of comments here like yours and mine. Maybe on this last point (and a maybe only) he'd be perceived as somewhat effective, but then again, Roy is about as trustworthy as the tabloid newspapers. Tabloid sensationalist news here instead of articles by well-respected journalists with integrity. I'd almost be super-cautious to even READ yet another sensationalist LXer post of Roy's! He's recruited too few to his own cause here.... a shame with his potential writing talent. 2c

Quoting:I'd almost be super-cautious to even READ yet another sensationalist LXer post of Roy's!

To clarify, LXer posts articles from many sources from all over the world but the only posts that could truly be called "LXer posts" would be the Features written by our editorial staff. We are not responsible for the content of the articles on the newswire.

In posting some of his articles (we by no means post all of them, trust me) to our newswire, yes, we are responsible for giving his articles more visibility, that I cannot argue, but I will admit that his articles never fail to start a conversation, or two or three. I have said it before and I will say it again here now, to be truly informed, you have to have an idea of what information and mis-information is being spread about.

And Roy is really good for that. ;-)