[Tfug] FWD: RUSSELL PAVLICEK: "The Open Source"

[Jim Secan]

At 02:36 PM 09/18/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Hopefully over time grassroots pressure can
>change the anti Linux attitudes in areas of government and the military.
>
>Remember though, it won't be easy.  There are an awful lot of people in this
>country whose livelihoods depend on the crappy MS empire (software that
>breaks a lot makes the fixers more money) - they won't quit easily.  Not
>only that but the kind of money machine that Microsoft has created tends to
>influence votes.   

This is the crux of the problem - there's lots of money to be thrown at
lobbying for MS and its supporters and little to support the other side.
There's also the old "no one ever got fired for buying IBM" philisophy
working here.  If I buy MS WinXYZ and I get bit by a security bug, there's
nothing I could do because this is the best available and the Officially
Blessed solution.  On the other hand, if you install Linux or *BSD and you
get bit, heads will role (yours!).  From a bureaucratic point of view, this
is a no brainer (which is appropriate).  With a business, you can at least
make the case from a cost-benefit point.  With the government, self
protection wins out over cost every time.  After all, it's not their money!

This is where my rabble-rousing past wants me to urge everyone to write
their congresspersons and complain.  But would they even understand the
issues, much less try to do something about them?

Jim
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