If it wasn’t clear from what I wrote yesterday, I was deeply moved by what I saw at the Hispalinux Congress, and in the many conversations I had while I was in Madrid, I expressed how moved I was with much greater strength, how what I saw reminded me of what I had found so special about Linux so many years ago, how I was heartened that there were still people working to change the world and not simply to boost their stock price or the bottom line.
Yet, when I got back, what was the big story about my visit? The fact that I used a Tablet PC running Windows to give my presentation.
There it is, like so many blurry pictures of Bigfoot we’ve seen in the tabloids, my tablet running Windows, with a picture of me next to a gargoyle with horns and something about the Great Satan.
Listen, guys (and gals): Religous zealotry never got anyone anywhere. We don’t have all the answers ourselves. The rest of the world has a lot to teach us. And this is coming from an American, whose government thinks it has all the answers and has a lot to teach the world.
If you prefer the war metaphor to the religion metaphor, which I talked a bit about yesterday, here are some words of wisdom from Sun Tzu:
One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger in a hundred battles. One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes win, sometimes lose. One who does not know the enemy and does not know himself will be in danger in every battle.
That’s all I’m going to say, for now. If you really want to know why I have a Tablet PC that runs Windows, it’s spelled out pretty clearly in my weblog, e.g., here and here.
Hi Ian !
I’m one of the persons who posted on zaragozawireless.org. I didn’t know about that picture of you next to that gargoyle… i think that’s disgusting.
When we did it, we did it as a joke. Personally, I’ve allways admired you and your work.
So, I apologize.
(sorry about my really bad english :))
Regards,
Ferdy
Hi Ian,
I’m a Debian’s fan and I admire your whole career but regarding your Tablet PC affair I don’t… I can’t agree with you.
It is not a zealot thing. It’s just because you’re sending a sort of dangerous message: “if you want to use first class software and enjoy computing state-of-art you have to purchase a MS license or wait for a while”.
On the other hand, IMHO, you can’t go to a Linux Congress with a computer running Windows ™ and don’t expect any kind of reaction.
You’re not just Ian, an anonymous linux user.
You’re an icon, a reference, here in Spain.
Regards
—
advocatux
Dear Ian, I was one of the people who was at the congress. I do not like what I saw, but I request excuses to you if you feel like victim, in my case was not the intention at least.
I really admire your work.
Really I hope that you do not feel sadness.
Best regards
Hi Ian,
You must know that the free software community measures people’s greatness by seeing what they do, not just what they say. You can say all you want on a conference, but if you show yourself doing the opposite, people will start asking why.
Best regards,
Lucas.
Hi Ian.
A lot of people remember you for more thinks than this affare.
I hope see you in Spain soon.
debian makes the way.
I believe that someone that ONLY uses Linux don’t have a complete vision of Information Technologies. This kind of attitude closes to you doors that you should cross to increase your knowledge. Don’t make an integrism of Linux, GNU or whatever yo want. Microsoft has learn a lot from Java, as you can notice from your very two first minutes using .Net. Ian, you’re not Jesuschrist. You’re just an amazing professional. Good luck!
A registered Suse 8.2 user (oooops! ;-)
P.S.: I envy you for your new toy…
Dearly Ian:
I’m sorry, but I think that expose a free software conference in HispaLINUX using MS Windows XP is something out of place.
Sincerily yours, Perry.
Hi Ian,
I’m just other of the persons who posted on zaragozawireless.org. Of course I didn’t know about that picture of you next to that gargoyle… I think it’s disgusting.
When we did it, we did it just as a joke. I apologize. I always admired you because all of your achivements and pen mind.
Cheers,
Edulix.
Hi Ian,
I’m sure we need to know the enemy, but it’s not right to show the enemy and patriots that we use the enemies weapons…don’t you think?
We only need to study the enemies tecniques to improve ours…. not use them in public…
thanks..
excuse my bad english.
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