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The Age Interviews Linux Advocate Rick Moen
An anonymous reader writes "The Age interviews Rick Moen, a software generalist from the Linux community and an advocate for Open Source software." Rick's been a real catalyst for the Linux community over the years, helping organize the LINC Expo, Windows Refund Day, Linux birthday parties, and more. An entertaining read.
Perhaps he could assist us in a "Linux on the Commodore" campaign. I know Junis would really appreciate the Divx ;-) and xviD codecs on his commodore so he wouldn't have to download the Baywatch VCDs every week.
He is mesmerized by open source.
Is that all it takes to raise yourself to stardom these days?
"Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you so far
Just out of curiosity, what does a software generalist do?
I know I can probably look this up on google, but I figure this is as good a place as any to have this question answered.
Did not! Elephants don't hurt people. People hurt people.
Rick Moen: " I come from a long and proud heritage of starving Norwegian peasants."
WTF?
My apologies.. thank you for the quick/insightful reply. I would mod you up if I had points. The headliner itself sounded kinda boring to be honest.. I jumped on the gun because we were in the first-post zone.
:)
But I really did want to know what a software generalist was, and assumed the article didn't go into details as to what it was. For explaining that, I thank you
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
why is it that unemployed and Linux seem to hand in hand lately?
he should organise a resume in between his rabble-rousing episodes.
He was in a "HomeBrew Computer Club". I'd love to have a similar thing at my school, but I just don't have time with the principal blackmailing me and all those useless classes like "English" that I'm stuck with next semester. That and in TN so many of my classmates are stupid that we only have one person of any intelligent interest. I hereby declare my server the new stomping grounds for the Jeffferson County High School Computer Club of Tennessee.
Oh well; guess I won't get an interview for a while.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
No loss. It was kinda boring, but I've read worse... these interviews all seem the same to me anymore. *Sigh*
(-1, Offtopic)
Please add to it as needed:
1) Mention the words "open source."
2) Mention the words "linux advocate."
3) Mention the word "micro$oft". Note that spelling (but not necessarily capitalization) will count in this, and only this, case.
4) Mention Linus' full name. The first name alone may not get your article accepted.
5) Mention how you only boot to Windows when you NEED to. Usually mentioning it in the context of a video game (like Diablo) helps. Mentioning that you buy games from Loki whenever it's possible will help you big time.
6) Use the word "anime."
7) Do not use the phrase "in soviet russia."
8) Do not use the words "Junis" or "Jon Katz."
9) Drop the name of a lesser known Linux distro.
10) Use the phrase "software generalist" or any other newly invented buzzword.
where's my /. article, i i'm one of those software generalists too! I've even organised a few parties at my flat and gotten drunk a few times. hey, cool, i'm elite too, all respects to me and cmdrtaco!
I have not read a quality post like this on /. for many years! keep up the good work.
because a truly free license like BSD would not have any restrictions
I disagree. I don't think free means unrestricted any more then it does in free speech. Meaning, there should be restrictions that you can't trample the rights of someone else. But as long as you aren't interfering with the rights of the next person, yes there should be no restrictions in a so-called free license.
Having taken a good look at the photo of Rick Moen, it is quiet obvious why he comes from a poor line of people. being a big and fat smelly belly, yellow, red head gay loving queer. fuckings to all fags like this!
here, I'll submit it in a minute. Maybe I will get an interview after all!
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
His website says it all - Linux Mafia.. I personally love Linux, but when it comes to getting business done, I use the best tool for the job. Which would mainly be Linux, but when it comes to webpage editing without spending the time to learn HTML..Frontpage wins hands down. Rick Moen doesn't understand this concept. I'm sure this probably will go 50/50 here but he takes it to the extreme. That is just one example..It's too bad I moved to Phoenix and never got to meet him at EBLUG, I wanted to have a real conversation with the dickhead.
COWBOYNEAL INTERVIEWS TROLLS!
in soviet russia, we post on /. to troll you!
People with elephants hurt people! Bring on tougher elephant control laws!
>>Did not! Elephants don't hurt people. People hurt people.
People with elephants hurt people! Bring on tougher elephant control laws!
Broccoli tastes better than spinach on a tuesday afternoon, so don't you go looking anywhere but inside that beautiful elephant's spleen where you may find things you never dreamed of dreaming of while you were sleeping on a boat that was sinking in the ocean where a buffalo was swimming laps around the isle of Bleveskovolokia.
Someone else said it, so it must be true
LMFAO!
[Points and laughs]
Stop I can't breathe!
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
Stop it CowboiNeal! Stop packing that fudge! Make ribbons. You are better than that! You can do it! Yes you can! Yes you can! Yes...you can!
Bleveskovolokia! It's my favorite country. They don't have any rediculous politics like the rest of the world. A simple small country with simple small people and a simple small dictatorship. What could be better. Don't mess with Bob and he won't mess with you. Viva La Proust!
I bitch on #debian a lot, does that make me a software generalist?
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
I've been on several mailing lists Rick has been active on over the years and in nearly every case eventually it's turned into a flame war between Rick and nearly everyone else. Rick has this George-Bernard-Shaw-wanna-be style where he doesn't technically insult people but it's very clear that he's doing so that offends nearly everyone eventually. The problem is that he does have a large amount of knowledge and does actually help people who are willing to put up with him so people tend to attempt to tolerate him for as long as possible. His obnoxious style is ok for the likes of crackmonkey where the teeth are sharp, but having watched him interact with clueless newbies and be overly picky and calling them on every tiny political misstep is not what we need in a "software generalist".
maybe people are actually starting to RTFA.
To save my karma:This guy reminds me of John Gage; excellent "Titans of Tech" biography on TechTV.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Rick used to be a BSD guy. Rick, come back to the light! We need to rescue you from the dark side of the source. linux is NIH to the nth degree and is setting back the progress of computer science. BSD forever!
Only the trolls are up at nighto t!D !
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FUCK
-Shitd
-Taco!
-Cowboi!
-Michael!
-Microsoft!
-BS
-Linux!
-and fuck YOU!
But having said that, I must say that I agree with him on a number of major points.
1. Linux is NOT for everyone. In my line of work, many people complain if you move their taskbar, nevermind changing their OS.
2. BUY LINUX. only support for the companies that create your distributions will keep them creating those distributions. (I have bought every version of RedHat since 6 and a couple of copies of SuSE, etc)
3. Linux is not the next wave of the desktop... yet. In the server field, Linux has most things tied up. Stability... Rock Solid. Usability for the uninitiated desktop user... Still sucks, sorry.
Just my 2cents. -jk
No one can read your sarcastic posts!
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
windowsrefund.net
I'm participating, tell your friends.
- tristan
I bet he is a damn GNU/Fag like Rick Austenson.
Let's all "return" warez winshit serial numbers!
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
How many people knew he would look like that?
..the Junis jokes are still funny!
New slang term for Linux advocacy?
Honorary Member of Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Process Servers
I don't post on Slashdot much anymore, but I think a lot of people seem to be suffering from a bit of an attitude problem here tonight.
I've never heard of "The Age", but the article certainly puts forth the qualifications to consider Rick a linux advocate and probably a more experienced/knowledgable member of the linux and open source community than the vast chunk of Slashdot.
It is an article promoting his advocacy and talking about his efforts. It isn't like they reported that he wrote the Linux OS and he was going along with the assumption.
He's done what any reasonably capable linux advocate would have done when asked to interview with an outlet - he _promoted_ linux. Wow! Imagine that.
I don't see that he has said anywhere that he deserves attention beyond anyone else and he's not taking anything away from anyone who contributes to the cause.
Damn people. Be humble.
In Soviet Russia, Linux advocates Rick Mohen.
who started these soviet russian postinx for fucking out loud!
did i miss anything? when did it start? some weeks ago? wtf... soviet russia is dead...
Mr. "I have excellent karma so I don't have to post to /.
/. reader himself. He is in the "Excellent Karma" bracket if anyone cares.
We were joking about the article not the man, who happens to be a
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
what are these soviet russia postinx all about? wholy jeebuz who da fuck started this russian shit?
when did this appear first? some weeks back? soviet russia is fucking dead. over, gone, died, finished, extinct....
Not fair!
Actual workers mod you down!
This is my third such post to 0modded comments.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
All this SOVIET RUSSIA crap started ME
Define irony.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Pussy pussy pussy!
in soviet russia, the trolls are after you!
one more "In Soviet Russia" post and i kill myself.
does it sound like "moan" or "maw-en"
thank you
Just so you know - The Age is an old and venerable institution in Australia (been round 100 or so years) as a "quality" broadsheet. It is based in Melbourne Australia.
Now in the Murdoch stable (part of news corp_ is still does a reasonable job of annoying politicians of all persuasions and beuaracrats, as well as having excellent cricket reporting. It has a reputation as a bit left-wing (I think it was more from being an agitator in a conservative country) but that has slided a bit with Murdoch ownership.
The Singularity is closer than you think
Quant
"Rick Moen: " I come from a long and proud heritage of starving Norwegian peasants.""
Anyone else find that caption hilarious, given that it's under this picture?
Rick actually isn't a great guy (in the personality sense) when it comes to offering help online. He spends a lot of time in lists and groups offering his opinion, rather than actual help. On any list he's to which he's a contributor, he's probably 10-15% of the list's total traffic. That in itself isn't bad. But when you disagree with his opinion, oh boy!
He'll then go on enless tirades on how you're obviously wrong because he's obviously right. For instance, if you inquire to a list about finding a way to use Visio from within Linux at work (because it is your company's software of choice ...) he will butt in to say that you A) should get a new job because you're being pigeon-holed into using MS products B) shouldn't attempt to use Visio in any circumstance because it's MS junk, C) should use Dia and make your MS-loving coworkers suck it up because you're taking a stand against MS, and D) have no valid reason to then disagree with his dissenting remarks because he "does this for free and if you want to waste [his] time you can pay [him]." He's that guy in every list and group you have to regret let joining because the 10% of the time that he's a hothead to 10% of the people seems like he's that way all the time to everyone. He's the kind of person you find all the newbies complaining about ... all the I'm so elite that you're obviously too stupid to be in my presence kind of folks.
It'd be nice if more people spent the kind of time that Rick does trying to help others and not trip over their own egos while doing so. A big Thank You to those of you whom exemplify this notion. A big No Thanks to Rick Moen.
Feel free to mod this as an AC Troll. The truth within this community hurts sometimes, but we have to examine it all in order to keep things improving, even when the topic and problem aren't pretty.
In the immortal words of Admiral Ackbar,
"It's a trap!!"
Mr Moen, when his character is attacked in a public forum, has a right to defend himself. If I'm ever covered in Slashdot, I'll do the same.
Mr. Moen has the right to any opinion he wants and he should be able to express it.
That being said, I feel that Kernigheze such as Mr. Moen have effectively done more to crush linux on the desktop than Bill Gates ever could. Such callous attitudes towards end users and the "linux does not entitle you to a usable interface, so shut up and quit whining" mantra only further strengthen Microsofts hold on desktop computing and chase away people who want to make linux more usable.
Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
Here's the first one, and it was my first experience with Rick Moen being a dickhead.
http://www.eblug.org/forums/read.php?f
To summarize this post.. EBLUG had used Frontpage originally to design their website. Rick apparently didn't like this and called them a disgrace, basicly saying they shouldn't have a LUG because of this. I agree that it probably wasn't the brightest idea but they had to put up a page quickly and the guy didn't know HTML so he did it with Frontpage. Rick is GREAT with words, I don't know half of the big words he uses, if I did I would probably write a book. It's really hard to corner him because of this. I personally like this one - "neatly self-parodying. Commendably efficient of you." Keep in mind this was written a few years ago. Before the 2.4 kernel, etc. etc. So yes, I don't give a crap what you guys say Frontpage/Dreamweaver/Whatever beat the HELL out of any Linux-based webpage editor if your building a big site and not great at HTML.
In soviet russia, YOU kill death
Apologies and thanks for correcting me
The Singularity is closer than you think
Quant
There's an episode where someone is reading "Make left at fork in road..." to which the russian driver replies "IN SOVIET RUSSIA, THE ROAD FORKS YOU!"
but I could be mistaken...
...spike
Ewwwwww, coconut...
You know, SVLUG, ditching that blabber mouth, Rick, from your list was the best thing you guys did. I know Rick would like to have everyone believe that he left the list on his own ... but everyone knows, or knows now, that most of the SVLUG had enough of his abusive treatment of just about anyone on-list, and forced him to cease contact with the list. Hurrah for decency! Welcome back new Linux users; Rick is gone, so it's safe to post!
SVLUG had enough of his abusive treatment of just about anyone on-list, and forced him to cease contact with the list.
I simply stopped having time for the SVLUG list in mid-2001, the list often suffering high volume and a serious S/N problem, but do lurk and post there on occasion.
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
You wish I were an AC, Mister Onymous Coward. There's no need to explain who I am, to you.
That's an extremely odd way of saying, "I got booted from the SVLUG list by all the list's participants."
See, what did I tell you all? Rick would more than love for everyone to believe that he didn't feel the community pressure to part ways with the SVLUG list. Maybe he didn't. But he did feel the proverbial boot in August 2001. His presence on the SVLUG list has been NULL for over a year, yet his activity on other lists on which he posts has been constant, if not increased, since. The "S/N problem" on the SVLUG list ceased shortly after Rick was ousted from the list. Nobody wanted his on-list abuse anymore, and the community prevailed. It's been great without the noise created by Rick, and without his attacks on community individuals. For all SVLUG list subscribers, past and present, who were intimidated by Rick's uncouth behaviour, feel free to post to the SVLUG list, again.
- Avoid the man's inordinately malodorous feet at all costs.
His presence on the SVLUG list has been NULL....
It might well continue to be rather light, because I simply don't have time, as I'm busy with other affairs.
Anyhow: One can't notice (1) that you're changing your story between posts -- probably because your Google research was faulty? -- but also (2) that you've been the one posting abuse, noise, and uncouth behaviour. (And, for all I know, all of the AC flamers who've plagued this topic might well be the same pair of bored teenagers in west Texas. I hope for SVLUG's sake that that's so.) I honestly don't know what your problem is, but the irony's been pretty thick.
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
Excellent. Readers note that "rather light" is being used an extremely loose synonym for "nonexistent" in this context.
That's correct, one can't notice it, because I'm not changing topics whatsoever. The departure of Rick's noise from the SVLUG is welcome at all times, and hopefully not taken for granted by now, since it's been a long period without it. The community knows noise when it sees it, and hopefully rejects it, no matter what the source is.
I have been bringing to light the truth behind a major complaint from community members about Rick's noise and abuse in on-line lists, and how the SVLUG triumphantly rejected Rick's behaviour. The thread subject has been kept constant, and the subject has remained on point (except for this bit of a diversion to correct an obvious attempt to confuse the readers). If this thread is considered noise to those whom have endeavoured to follow the links, I appreciate all the efforts to maintain interest in this "noise" for this amout of time.
As for the SVLUG list and community, congratulations for maintaining a friendly environment for members of the Linux community, new and established alike, to discuss the topics du jour without fearing abusive dissent from Onymous "flamers." I'm sure you all find it delightful to experience the list in it's present, low-noise, friendly state. Thanks to all of you who rise to the occasion and strive to make such an effort a continual success, in the SVLUG list and elsewhere.
Readers note that "rather light" is being used an extremely loose synonym for "nonexistent" in this context.
You seem to have miss the Mailman archive link I posted earlier to disprove your initial post's rather scurrilous factual claim. Whereupon, as mentioned, your story suddenly mutated. The rest of your stuff, by contrast, amounted to basically name-calling:
I appreciate all the efforts to maintain interest in this "noise" for this amount of time.
Which is, to be sure, a perfectly delightful way to characterise spurts of unilateral personal flamage posted from cover of anonymity. The reason I was saying it's probably a couple of bored teenagers in west Texas reflects no intent to malign the perfectly nice folk who live there, but rather difficulty otherwise imagining anywhere -- well -- dull enough to drive anyone to that kind of public misbehaviour. Apologies to any Lubbockites I might have inadvertantly offended.
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
The `loner' may be respected, but he is always resented by his colleagues,
for he seems to be passing a critical judgment on them, when he may be
simply making a limiting statement about himself.
-- Sidney Harris
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