When Open Source Meets Closed Minds

Good one. I think that's the first FOSS NARC post I've seen..

It does make you wonder how many people out there actually think that way. I suspect quite a few in spite of Mac's popularity. After all, most people still seem to think a "Mac" is somehow different from a "PC" and that PC = Windows (hint - they are BOTH PCs, just running different Operating Systems).

There was a real story sometime back about a teacher who insisted there was no such thing as free software and that Linux is illegal. I think (hope) this is lampooning that story. However, if the author said he or she really received this call I wouldn't be at all surprised.

@caitlyn:

helios gave that kid an Ubuntu CD, and the kid took it to class.

Aaaaand teacher got schooled.

Help Desk: WHat do you have, Mac or PC

Me: Linux

Help Desk: No, No, when you start it up does it say Windows?

Me: No.

Help Desk: So you have a Mac

Me: No. I have a PC

Help Desk: So you have Windows.

Me: No.

Help Desk: But you said you have a PC

Me: Yes

Help Desk: So you must have Windows then, is it XP or Vista

Me: No, Linux

Help Desk: We need to find out what operating System you have before we can help you.

Me: It's Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

Help Desk: I'm sorry we don't support that.

Me: I don't give a rats, put me on to level 2 support, so I can talk to someone who actually has an idea.

> put me on to level 2 support, so I can talk to someone who actually has an idea.

When I turned up cable IP service where I live now, they asked "Do you have a PC or Mac?" I said "Linux."

The reaction was, "Cool. You have DHCP turned on?" and the call went fine.

It was, seriously, the first time I have ever had a tech treat me like Linux was perfectly normal.

Other than that one time, it was only tech-2 or higher that had any clue.

I actually had the same experience Bob_Robertson had. (We live near each other and may have the same cable provider.) I had a bundle (landline phone, DSL, digital television) when I lived in the Green Bay area and they, too, knew what Linux was and had no issue with it at all. Ditto Cincinnati Bell when I lived there. I haven't actually run into the kind of cluelessness tracyanne describes in my own life in some years now. OTOH, I am very certain it exists and this sort of thing still happens all the time.

Several years ago, during the days of dial-up, I chose an ISP based on their advertised support for Linux. And their advert was true.

What I wanted was to tell the ISP that there was a local problem that was affecting their service to subscribers in my area.

Back when I had ISDN from Sprint (before DSL was available in this area) I found that trying to talk to Sprint was like talking to a brick wall. Their tech support was useless and it seemed that I understood their frequent DNS problems better than anyone I could reach there. Linux? I might as well have been speaking Hebrew. I'm told that folks who have DSL here now from CenturyLink (formerly Embarq, formerly Sprint) still suffer through that sort of customer disservice. I refuse to find out for myself. We don't even have landline phone service here. Such is our disdain for the company.

Why did I keep the ISDN service and later their DSL service? They were the only game in town and my job required something resembling high speed internet. Once cable arrived they were out the door.

Caitlyn,

In 1993, with the opening up of "internet" services, I can tell you that Sprint was even then entirely and completely clueless even at the "highest" levels of their network infrastructure.

They were utterly clueless that someone who was not a direct customer might call them to address issues with their network.

Luckily, when I mentioned "I'm calling from NASA. You know, the US space agency?" sometimes that would shock them into actually listening for a moment.

@Bob: I lived where I do now from 2001-2004 and again since the very end of 2006. (Yes, the same house.) I'm quite sure you can guess the time period I'm talking about. Sadly, I don't think anything has changed.

My ISP is a small local company. When I subscribed with them, two techs came to bring the network cards (they needed to have their MACs), cables and install everything. When they aksed whether I need help on the software side, I said no thanks, and that I use Linux. Their reaction was a sigh of relief and a "finally someone who has any idea".

The biggest problem with network service since then was when some idiot shot a new year's petard on our balcony and the attic with alll the network gear (for the entire 3.5-story building) burned. And an occasional glitch, but that's it. And it's not very fast, but it's enough for me.

To be fair, I don't get the never heard of Linux problem often. I do get it when talking to my bank, which is quite interesting as they are a Unix shop. At least the web servers all run on Sun Servers.

My bank also refuses to officially acknowledge the existence of Linux on the desktop. Their "security" advisory tells people to always install updates on their Mac and to ensure that their Windows computer has the latest updates AND the latest Anti Virus.

@caitlyn

In case anyone wants to read about the clueless teacher...

http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/12/linux-stop-holding-our...

It might be amusing when an adult is inconvenienced, but when a child is disciplined by his school,... well, my blood boils.

> In case anyone wants to read about the clueless teacher..

Thrice darned public school.

Anyone still waiting for more reasons to get your kids out of public school?

I don't think what happened is any more likely in public school than in private school. At least the public system requires certified teachers. Some private schools don't.

> Some private schools don't.

Best to get completely away from the Prussian "train them to be good soldiers who will obey orders without thinking" school model completely.

Homeschool. :^)

The last post was political nonsense and a clear TOS violation.

I'm a product of the New York City public school system and a very big supporter of public schools. Yeah, homeschooling is great if you don't want your child exposed to diversity at all and want them to be poorly socialized.

> The last post was political nonsense and a clear TOS violation.

TOS violation, possibly. Nonsense, absolutely not.

> I'm a product of the New York City public school system and a very big supporter of public schools

And I'm a product of the WV public school system, and a very big opponent of public schools.

Of course, I fully support our local public school system. Whether I want to or not, and even though we have no children. Taxes work that way.

> ...if you don't want your child exposed to diversity at all and want them to be poorly socialized.

Most schools are not very diversified, and I don't consider what goes on at most public schools socialization.

Yeah, yell TOS violation, dismiss the undesired position with extreme statements, then wait for the thread to be closed.

Funny, the last time I checked, home schooling was voluntary. Supporting the public schools isn't. Yet it's home schooling that is the threat and must be eliminated.

> I'm a product of the New York City public school system and a very big supporter of public schools.

And I attended NYS public school, Regents scholar, and would burn every one of them to the ground and sow the ruins with salt if that weren't a violation of the Principle of Non-Aggression.

> if you don't want your child exposed to diversity at all and want them to be poorly socialized.

What, like Linux users? Golly, that's indeed the same argument I see from Microsoft advocates. It's the desktop majority, so it must be right.

> Funny, the last time I checked, home schooling was voluntary.

I recall a discussion where advocating a change in the law was fine, advocating more laws be passed was just fine, but advocating repeal of the law was called "political" and a TOS violation.

Let's just change the thread title to "When Freedom Meets Closed Minds".

Actual freedom is dangerous to some people, be it software, speed limits, schooling, or any other aspect of life.

What is interesting is watching as people's various limits are reached, and what those limits are. Such as the teacher in Austin.

https://www.centos.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=127

"From: Jerry.Taylor To: Johnny Hughes Subject: Re: http://www.centos.org - Contact Us Form Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:54:24 -0600

I do not want this software!!!! This is the City of Tuttle, Oklahoma. Get rid of this software!!!!! Second notice!

.....Unless this software is removed I will file a complaint with the FBI."

Oh good grief! I remember that one.

Wow...just..wow...

My fave classic :D

And Jerry Taylor is now the former city manager.

Of course, with that record on teh Intarwebs, anyone with any Google-fu will be able to see what an a$$ he made of himself. Résumé, meet trash can.

Oh I dunno gus3, it seems there is still a sizable demand for the "shout until you get your own way" management style.

In general, yes. However, this particular case won't fall under that. Google searches are now de rigeur for community authority candidates. Even if the deciders don't know how to do it, there will always be someone in the area who does. If that someone turns up something unsavory, it will find its way to the deciders.

It's an excellent manifestation of RMS's maxim, "Information wants to be free."

We had breakfast at some restaurant yesterday. There was a complainy couple at the table behind us. We overheard one of them complaining that one of them ordred white toast but got brown toast, and the other ordered brown toast but got white toast.

"We're never coming back to this place."

Couldn't they just swap the toast ?

I imagine these folks and Jerry Taylor come from the same gene pool.

@jacog:

One of them was probably from this family.

http://bash.org/?420855

Quoting:It's an excellent manifestation of RMS's maxim, "Information wants to be free."

Actually I think Larry Wall had it right: "Information wants to be valuable"

Information has no wants, it simply is.

azer -

Sorry, but you are S-O-O-O wrong.

Information's been at my front door all morning, ringing the door bell and shouting "FEED ME".

Stupid information. Now I know what they mean when they say ignorance is bliss.

If knowledge is power, and power corrupts, then obviously knowledge is something to be avoided at all costs.

i.e. just ignore it dino, you don't want to take the chance that it might corrupt you.