__/ [ Oliver Wong ] on Wednesday 31 January 2007 20:54 \__
>
> "Roy Schestowitz" <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:2437145.qR15vJsMxu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Don't spread FUD about Vista
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | We don't need to go out forging stories about how Vista is crap and
>> | all that. Vista should do this all by itself. Let the people have the
>> | facts, real facts, and then decide for themselves what they really
>> | want. Instead of shoving the Ubuntu download down their throats
>> | doing everything we can to prevent them from even having a look
>> | at Vista (really, its price tag actually does enough here) we
>> | should let them have a balanced look at both and decide what
>> | they really want.
>> |
>> | [...]
>> |
>> | I promise you GNU/Linux will be winning people hands down by merit
>> alone,
>> | no FUD necessary, not even persuasion. When they open their new shiny
>> | windows, they will see the beauty of GNU/Linux freedom and desire to
>> have
>> | it.
>> `----
>>
>> http://www.nuxified.org/static/dont_spread_fud_about_vista.html
>>
>> Of course, the same rules do not apply to COLA where Microsoft
>> astroturfers
>> bash Linux. Being a Linux newsgroups, you see, if they came here to just
>> sing the merits of Windows, it would be off-topic, not just adverse to the
>> Charter. Therefore, in my humble opinion, until the shills depart from
>> this
>> newsgroups, criticism of Windows (even Mac) unfortunately seems justified
>> reasonable.
>
> Do you feel spreading FUD, or "forging stories", about Vista is
> justified? One can criticize Vista while still remaining factual.
I do try to remain factual. I pay careful attention to flaws while not
spending much effort praising virtues and merits. It's an advocacy
newsgroup, so balance is not important. It's not journalism and the
address/Charter of the group prepares its reader and states what it's
intended for.
> I agree with Danijel (the author) and wished all Linux advocates, the
> ones of COLA included, would abide by these principles.
I agree with him. I read his site regularly (its being syndicated) and he
appears to be the gentle type who will escape controversy and flamewars
whenever possible. I used to be like that as well... even when I first
posted to COLA.
> The "he started it!" philosophy is problematic. You perceives the
> shills
> or astroturfers to have "started it", and so you feel justified in
> spreading FUD on Vista, and claim you'll stop when they stop. Well, when I
> arrived on this message board, I saw you spread FUD, and so I feel
> justified in correcting any factually false or misleading claims, and claim
> that I'll stop when you stop.
Yes, it's cyclic. Always remember, however, that by posting anti-Linux stuff
in here (or "bringing balance", as Microsoft calls it) people actually cross
the fence and that's when it's called "trolling". See Wikipedia's definition
of the term.
> And then you see my corrections as "singing the merits of Windows", and
> feel further justified in spreading more FUD, just to "even things out",
> and thus we're in a locked loop where neither of us will ever stop.
Yes, but it's a Linux advocacy group. There's no place here for criticism of
Linux by those whose intent is to destroy it rather than /improve/ it.
Constructive versus destructive.
> And anyway, do you really see anyone starting a thread saying something
> positive about Vista in this newsgroup? I don't. Any positive things said
> about Vista are corrections of something negative (and false) said about
> Vista. For example, the 10 articles that precede this article are:
>
> [News] Windows Vista Ending Fair Use
> C.O.L.A. Newcomer FAQ and Primer
> Device Augment and Improve Linux Support
> Mobile Photo Manager Runs Linux
> Two Linux Conferences Announced
> Trouble for Windows/Vista Unfolds from Many Directions
> Video - Gates Describes Vista 'Innovation' While OS X Shown Doing the Same
> MySQL Attacks Oracle with Open Source Offering
> CNN Poll: 97% Will Not Immediately Buy Vista
> Speculation: Microsoft Could Buy RIM to Challenge Linux, iPhone.
Yes, that favours the use of Linux. Would you expect a Linux advocacy to
discuss how wonderful Vista is and how horribly liberating Linux can be?
> Any thread started about Vista seems to start with a negative statement
> about Vista (in the very subject line, in fact), and it's quite annoying to
> have to sift through that to get to the actual Linux advocacy.
Remember that the group is intended to advocate Linux. Just because shills
have been shoved onto this newsgroup and you feel as though there's a
pro-Windows crowd here doesn't make it okay. It's trolling. Period.
--
~~ Best wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Reclaim your workstation - install GNU/Linux today
http://Schestowitz.com | Free as in Free Beer ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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