RE: tlug: Linux Community?? (was: HTML again)

["John De Hoog" <dehoog@example.com>]

Chris Sekiya wrote
>
> I'm going to unsubscribe from the TLUG mailing list immediately after
> sending this message, for several reasons:

Chris's unfortunate choice apparently results from his belief in something
called the "Linux Community". He's expressed the attitude a number of times
since I came to this list. But to someone who has used computers all these
years as tools to get jobs done, I'm a bit puzzled by this concept.

Imagine how silly it would be to talk of a "Windows community". A "Mac
community" makes more sense, but are all those iMac newbies part of it? For
that matter, are all those DTP professionals who prefer Macs part of a Mac
community, or are they just making a practical choice?

At some point, if Linux is as good as its backers say, Linux (and the rest
of the components that go into a Linux-based OS) is also going to become
little more than a practical choice for many users. It seems that Chris
doesn't want his community infiltrated by mere users; everyone has to behave
like brothers and sisters of the Cause. Community members don't complain
about things like a lack of applications, or inadequate documentation. But
practical users do.

If there is a Linux Community, I wish it would make up its mind about Linux
for the Rest of Us. Is it really a viable alternative to Windows NT
workstation, for example, as a desktop system? If so, then we users have a
right to demand parity in all areas. If not, then hold your criticisms of NT
and its applications and the people who choose to use them. Stop lusting
every time Microsoft looks primed for a fall, as though that makes any
difference to your community. Fair enough?

My guess is that Linus Torvalds himself would find the notion of a Linux
Community rather amusing. I believe, from what I've read of his ideas, that
he's really a practical young man who can't wait for his little boy to grow
up into a full-fledged Windows killer, with a nice comfortable user share of
20 to 30 percent.

(Thought I'd get this in before the group splits off into "TLUG Linux True
Believers" and "TLUG Unwashed Heathen".)

--
John De Hoog, Tokyo
dehoog@example.com
http://dehoog.org

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