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Mega-Geek March?
hammerm writes " According to an article on infoworld.com, 'A group of open source and free software developers is planning to lead a march on San Francisco's City Hall next week in an effort to promote the use of freely available software by California's government offices,' and it goes on to say 'it aims to bring attention to proposed legislation that would require California's government offices to use software with freely available source code rather than products from proprietary vendors such as Microsoft Corp.'"
Something I don't quite get. The march is designed to promote open source as a viable solution to the state's OS needs right?
Why isn't it done like everything else in government life: ie, make a bid on a project. There are tons of OpenSource consulting companies out there, make a bid like the Novells and MSs of the world and see what happens.
Or, has this already occured?
Now for the flamebait piece:
With all the problems that face society in general today, these jokers are going to march in support of open source software? I mean, really.
Sent from your iPad.
I've always been skeptical of the rahrah marches that seems to dominate the latest fad.
Unfortunately, the geek populace tends to be politically apathetic or cynical. A well
organize block vote will have a much more effect on political policies than silly marches which
generally devolves into a rotten excuse for street theatre and fringe hoodlumism. The end
result will end up demeaning a well intended effort. Nothing speaks to a politician clearer
than cold hard cash. Until open source becomes a serious political lobby like the christian right,
NRA, or AARP, it'll merely be treated as an oddity and not be taken seriously.
-- I have enough stupid gadgets to know that I can do without -- http://www.modestneeds.org
I think Linux has got to the point now, where it is a mature and sturdy product, which easily rivals any other platform in many different fields. The problem is, free software marches, geeks proclaiming that Microsoft is evil, and cartoons of Tux & the BSD Daemon kicking Bill Gates ass don't really make people believe that Linux reliable business product that it actually is.
I think a lot of the Linux groups & distributions need to get together and plan some kind of marketing campaign, using the resources of all their people, which could really help Linux gain some real limelight - it has certainly earned it, and now it deserves the chance to shine through.
"Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property!!"
It is just like filling in your yearly IT budget requests. You put in something totally unrealistic and hope that you actually get most of what you ask for. A smart person will immediately see that this is in fact a push for open data formats. Like the article says, legislation is a compromise. No valid argument can be held against the fact that govt should own their data.
It has little chance of passing in it's current state but that is never the intended goal.
Got Code?
What annoys me about these open-source fanatics, is that they have to force their beliefs on to other people. And just because they want everything open source, everyone else should hear about it. If they love open-source software so much then go kiss your hard drive, why protest about it and (1)make a fool of yourself, (2)make the belief that the people who are into open-source are idiots who are willing to prove how sad they are by acting like stero-type computer geeks. They can like opensource all they like, and they got it, why protest against those who are against it, they have what they want already, and things are getting better all the time.
WTF is a sig?
While I think the idea of a small, medium, or large-sized march designed to show support for the Open Source cause could never be a prima face bad thing, I'm sad to report that our political players do not and will not care about our issues any more or less because of a demonstration.
...and maybe the `public` has absolutely no idea of what it is we do - as they never, ever have before. The vox populi will not be the tool of change when the majority of it cannot agree on how to correctly pronounce `Linux`. ("It's lynnux, dude." ``Wrong, it's LINE-ux! You suck!``)
.. hm, unversed? , to get out and compile their own apps - they won't fall in and cheer for us, so the guys in charge will take no note.
The right of assembly is guaranteed by the First Amendment, and it's entire purpose is to provide constitutional protection for a group of people who dislike the government (or hold a contrary opinion to the powers that be) to meet in order to find a way to change things. The assemblies themselves are not the tools of change - and never have been. I'm not sure where people got so confused.
Perhaps the march will bring out like-minded people who've kept their feelings in till now, reluctant to express an opinion -- maybe the public will join the throng, shucking off their closed source software for freely available and modifiable source code packages.
Living in the district I am compelled to restate the obvious: Politicans move because of two things and two things only.
1) Because it will help them stay in office,
2) Because of money.
Our `cause` will not engender any further public support for a re-election campaign, so strike #1 right off the ballot. Too many people use closed source software day in, day out and are too
Money is the only thing that will bring about change. Save the gas money you would have spent attending the march and donate it to a lobbyist group that works on our behalf. Does no such group exist? If not, create one.
I really think that's the only solution that's ever going to bring our needs out of the dark ages of politics and give us some play in the District.
here's a better idea.. start a foundation
you mean something likegeekpac