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Iraq's Open Source Possibilities

An anonymous reader writes "In a Linux Journal article, Iraq's 2 person LUG describes the software consumer market in Iraq today, and their hopes for educating the masses about open-source software: 'Iraq is now a blank, unformatted hard disk and can be loaded with anything. Everything is open in Iraq right now. There are no regimented standards or massive expenditure in a particular monopoly's software'."

10 of 700 comments (clear)

  1. Obviously by Scrameustache · · Score: 2, Troll

    Unless Haliburton has recently gone into the software buisness, Microsoft will get any "reconstruction contract" involving computer infrastructures.

    Then, guess who'll be in charge of "educating" the Iraqis in computer use?

    I'm sure Bill's charity will donate a bunch of intel machines and "Trustworthy" OSs...

    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  2. Don't kid yourself.... by Newer+Guy · · Score: 1, Troll

    Bill Gate$ has likely already made a $1 million dollar contribution to some republican PAC somewhere to make sure that Microsoft is all they get in Iraq. The distributor probably will be Hallburton!

  3. Re:As much as I would like to see... by tuxfan · · Score: 1, Troll

    Yes -- a stable, O/S government preferrably.

    Though, as North Americans, we probably can't help them with that.

  4. Windows Everywhere by IGnatius+T+Foobar · · Score: 1, Troll

    Iraq is not a free country. It is owned and operated by PNAC, under the auspices of the Bush Administration, which is in turn owned and operated by a number of large corporations and wealthy individuals.

    Microsoft being one of the largest contributors, expect Windows Everywhere. It isn't just a coincidence that Windows is on the "allowed to export" list and Linux isn't.

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  5. Re:As much as I would like to see... by vandan · · Score: 0, Troll

    Exactly.

    That's most likely why they're attacking the occupying forces whenever possible: so they can take out the trash and organise their own form of government.

    Of course most right-wing appologists will tell you that the Iraqis are backward people who are not capable of carrying out a democratic election by themselves. To those people I say: have a look at your own elections. Bush's appointment wasn't without scandal.

  6. What's the diff btwn Saddam, MJ, and Michael Sims? by alex_ant · · Score: 0, Troll

    Saddam is a tyrannical dictator, MJ is a gay pedophile, and Michael Sims is both.

  7. Re:As much as I would like to see... by child_of_mercy · · Score: 1, Troll

    Ahem,

    The Phillipines?

    --
    'There is a Light that never goes out.'
  8. Re:As much as I would like to see... by InfiniteWisdom · · Score: 0, Troll

    # Agricultural Surplus,
    In the desert? Good luck.

  9. Re:As much as I would like to see... by aled · · Score: 0, Troll

    No, they wanted the right to choose other people dictators. That's freedom :-)

    --

    "I think this line is mostly filler"
  10. Re:Heh by kmac06 · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'd like to see you name one time where Rush Limbaugh lied, or clearly and purposely distorted the facts. I listen to him most days, and I know that he does not.

    And before you bring up his drug quote from '95, he has already addressed that issue: he has said many times taking drugs was a bad thing, and he was *NOT* hypocritical by taking drugs. Yes, he has always said that drugs are bad, but it is certainly not a point he adressed consistently and not something he defined himself by. It would be hypocritical if he was known as a strong anti-drug advocate while taking every drug under the sun. He got addicted after surgery, and acknowledged his mistake. Saying what he believed, that drug use was wrong, does not make him a hypocrite, despite that he was not strong enough to follow his beliefs all the time.

    Whether or not he acquired the drugs legally not is in question, but there is no proof outside of the National Enquirer that he was buying them illegally.