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Closed minds of 'Open Source' eject iTWire from Linux conference
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Comments (24)
Mr. Varghese
Mr. Varghese brand of "real journalism" as Stan Beer calls it, has included character assassination and defamation of character. That isn't "real journalism" in my book. So... people were on edge up front dealing with him. I believe that. I also believe there are two sides to every story. Might the conference organizers have overreacted? Sure, they might have done. Might Mr. Varghese be less innocent than Mr. Beer claims? I wouldn't be surprised. We will never know the truth. I, for one, am not willing to pass judgement on either side here and I certainly don't accept this story at face value.
I am inclined to agree with you. I find it hard to believe that he was ejected from the conference purely because he was an overzeolous journalist who like to indulge in negative press.
With most stories there are three sides. In this case the sides are Sam Varghese, The conference and the truth. I am inclined to believe the truth lies somewhere just right of the middle where the organisers maybe overreacted to an angry man who didn't think he was being treated with the respect he felt he deserved.
I don't like the term "Real Journalism". In the UK we have "Real Journalists" that pay off police forces and hack people's phone lines.
Being overly critical of something doesn't make you a real tech journalist. Being critical with a point that is constructive however would be very helpful to everyone.
With most stories there are three sides. In this case the sides are Sam Varghese, The conference and the truth. I am inclined to believe the truth lies somewhere just right of the middle where the organisers maybe overreacted to an angry man who didn't think he was being treated with the respect he felt he deserved.
I don't like the term "Real Journalism". In the UK we have "Real Journalists" that pay off police forces and hack people's phone lines.
Being overly critical of something doesn't make you a real tech journalist. Being critical with a point that is constructive however would be very helpful to everyone.
Yeah.... about ol' Sammy.
I went back and read his blog and several entries at ITWire. I see a mixed bag. He definitely has a lot to say about nothing, many of his blog entries jes inane blather. He does seem somewhat knowledgeable about OSS and IT, but how having used DOS for nine years is some kind of noteworthy credential totally eludes me. While I can see points on which we would vehemently disagree, I can also side with him a few things. I don't believe "character assassination" is always a bad thing. I have much worse to say about Steve "Mr Greed" Jobs, but usually don't bother cuz it's like bad-mouthing the Pope. Ain't no one gonna hear a word I say. Also, being a card carrying curmudgeon, I can agree with some of his opinions on other cyber journalists and their being waaay too fluffy.
If I see a major flaw in ol' Sammy's character, it's that the guy has not even a trace of a working sense of humor. I bet the guy hasn't laughed since Commodore nailed one foot to the floor and shot itself in the other. I can almost see him being the jerk portrayed at that Oz-OSS fest, he having way too high an opinion of himself. He also appears to have some misogynist leanings and I wonder if the fluffy female journalists he referred to in one of his rants might include one of our own. Caitlyn? You and he seem to have a history.
Oh well, I'll not spend anymore time on Sammy V. IMO, he's not worthy of this discussion, let alone two threads. Heck, he doesn't even rate a wiki page to sabotage. ;)
I went back and read his blog and several entries at ITWire. I see a mixed bag. He definitely has a lot to say about nothing, many of his blog entries jes inane blather. He does seem somewhat knowledgeable about OSS and IT, but how having used DOS for nine years is some kind of noteworthy credential totally eludes me. While I can see points on which we would vehemently disagree, I can also side with him a few things. I don't believe "character assassination" is always a bad thing. I have much worse to say about Steve "Mr Greed" Jobs, but usually don't bother cuz it's like bad-mouthing the Pope. Ain't no one gonna hear a word I say. Also, being a card carrying curmudgeon, I can agree with some of his opinions on other cyber journalists and their being waaay too fluffy.
If I see a major flaw in ol' Sammy's character, it's that the guy has not even a trace of a working sense of humor. I bet the guy hasn't laughed since Commodore nailed one foot to the floor and shot itself in the other. I can almost see him being the jerk portrayed at that Oz-OSS fest, he having way too high an opinion of himself. He also appears to have some misogynist leanings and I wonder if the fluffy female journalists he referred to in one of his rants might include one of our own. Caitlyn? You and he seem to have a history.
Oh well, I'll not spend anymore time on Sammy V. IMO, he's not worthy of this discussion, let alone two threads. Heck, he doesn't even rate a wiki page to sabotage. ;)
I used DOS and Windows for nine years. You missed the latter. Then I moved to GNU/Linux. There's lots more about me but I'm not vain enough to keep banging on about it.
Yo've got a lot of other things wrong about me as well, but I'm a journo, I can take it. I always wonder what people are going to call me next and that's one of the reasons I stay in this business. Never a dull moment, old chap, never.
Yo've got a lot of other things wrong about me as well, but I'm a journo, I can take it. I always wonder what people are going to call me next and that's one of the reasons I stay in this business. Never a dull moment, old chap, never.
I'm glad you get satisfaction out of your career. I've never questioned your qualifications or your knowledge, only your approach to some people and some articles. FWIW, whether I like your writing or not (and I did compliment one of your articles recently on LXer in case you missed that) and whether I agree with you or not you have to express your opinions as you see fit. That includes negative opinions of my writing if that's what you think is important at any given moment. It's part of the territory any writer, professional or amateur, faces when they express an unpopular opinion. Thank goodness for a free press and freedom of expression.
linuxwriter wrote:I'm not vain enough to keep banging on about it..... I always wonder what people are going to call me....
....and yer posting here, why?
Another example of a journo I've seen who does a good job of AVOIDING the type of "character assassination and defamation of character" and "He Said, She Said" going on between linuxwriter and caitlyn is SJVN (= Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols). he could even be someone you BOTH could really learn from. SJVN even put out an interesting article about how the MariaDB fork of MySQL could eventually challenge vehement Larry Elli$on's OWN MySQL!! http://www.zdnet.com/oracle-who-fedora-and-opensuse-will-rep...
My2c
My2c
@flufferbeer: Before you equate two people you really, really should make yourself aware of the facts. In the comments after one of his posts Mr. Varghese claimed I was a convicted felon when, in fact, I have no criminal record at all. That's libel. If his editors hadn't deleted that I would have hired an attorney down under and instituted legal action immediately. The real irony behind such a claim is that I now work in the criminal justice system and had to go through three background checks (two state, one FBI) to qualify for this position. If I had any criminal history at all I would have been disqualified immediately.
Have I ever said or written anything that meets a legal definition of defamation of character (libel or slander) about Mr. Varghese? I unequivocably have not. That is a HUGE difference.
Oh,, and yes, SJVN is an excellent writer.
Have I ever said or written anything that meets a legal definition of defamation of character (libel or slander) about Mr. Varghese? I unequivocably have not. That is a HUGE difference.
Oh,, and yes, SJVN is an excellent writer.
Anger management
Sometimes I read the odd article by Mister Varghese. The one constant is a blatant lack of serenity. After reading a few of them, the one idea I get is the author must be the kind of person who raises everyone's blood pressure by simply walking into a room. Correct me if I'm wrong.
You're not wrong, at least based on his writing. I've never met him face to face.
One particularly infamous article comes to my mind here.
http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/50428-...
http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/50428-...
kikinovak wrote:One particularly infamous article
Infamous, how? Seems a very levelheaded observation to me. If you think this guy is inflammatory, I must seem the devil incarnate! I'm sure caitlyn will agree. ;)
No, I don't agree. You don't engage in character assasination and defamation the way Mr. Varghese has repeatedly done.
@notbob, guite level headed and a well written article. No character assassination there either. An interestIng observation that our culture is basically hypocritical, Where one Can become a top bloke or a top Sheila just by dying
I'm in agreement about that article, and with it. Don't see anything particularly charged about it either. It raises a point, gives reasons for it, the end.
My reference to character assassination was NOT a reference to the article about Steve Jobs, though that article was in poor taste.
Caitlyn has reason to have her sword into me after this: http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/38320-...
Impressive that people who are at least 20 hours air travel away from me can gauge exactly what kind of person I am. ESP? Crystal-ball gazers? Or else the average internet user?
I used to spend some time over at the ITWire site (and Mr Varghese's column in particular), but I stopped bothering to read let alone comment in those forums, because it became painfully clear that the site management had a definite "talk radio" mentality and followed a deliberate strategy of spurring arguments rather than encouraging real discussion.
I don't look over ITWire material much, any more, excepting the occasional link from LXer, but I haven't come across anything to make me reconsider my policy to generally ignore the site.
I don't look over ITWire material much, any more, excepting the occasional link from LXer, but I haven't come across anything to make me reconsider my policy to generally ignore the site.
linuxwriter wrote:Impressive that people who are at least 20 hours air travel away from me can gauge exactly what kind of person I am.
I'd say it's pretty obvious what kinda person you are. You accuse caitlyn of having multiple personalities, then turn around and post your own articles under an alias. Plain to me. (derogatory deleted)
Oops! Forgot this is not usenet.
Quoting:Caitlyn has reason to have her sword into me after this:
@linuxwriter: If that was an attempt at character assassination (as has been suggested), you did a p155 poor job.
@tracyanne: You are dead right. It is a p155 poor effort, now that I come to re-read it.
@notbob: I've stuck my name in a few posts. After that I would think that everyone would know my alias. I have no problem putting my name in every post. There don't seem to be too many folks in these forums.
Sam Varghese
@notbob: I've stuck my name in a few posts. After that I would think that everyone would know my alias. I have no problem putting my name in every post. There don't seem to be too many folks in these forums.
Sam Varghese
> After that I would think that everyone would know my alias...
To be fair, it was obvious to me who linuxwriter was upon reading his posts. I don't think there was any attempt to hide his identity.
It might be a good idea to add your name though Mr. Varghese. There are only a few regular posters here, but there are probably a lot of readers who don't post.
To be fair, it was obvious to me who linuxwriter was upon reading his posts. I don't think there was any attempt to hide his identity.
It might be a good idea to add your name though Mr. Varghese. There are only a few regular posters here, but there are probably a lot of readers who don't post.
That was article 1 of 2, wasn't it? Also, Mr. Varghese, the reference to defamation referred to what you wrote in the comments section which your editor had the good sense to remove. I'll also point out that it isn't just your writing about me. As you say, your sharpest barbs were directed at luminaries in the FOSS community, something I will never claim to be.
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