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The Software Politics Of 2004's Presidential Race

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the which-skull-and-bones-member-do-you-prefer dept.

mjamil writes "The NYT(free registration required) has an article talking about the polarized use of OSS in the building of campaign Web sites. Specifically, it states that the sites for John Kerry (Democratic candidate for President) and the Democratic National Committee are built using OSS, while the site for President Bush's re-election campaign uses IIS. Linus and ESR are quoted. It's an interesting look at how even presidential politics are no longer immune to the free software war (free as in beer)." (David Brunton, pictured in the article, wrote to say "Now I'm going to go call my mom... won't she be proud? For all those girl geeks and gay geeks out there, I'm already taken, but it is an awful nice picture, isn't it?")

7 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. Re:even for linux fanboys and MS haters by Loonacy · · Score: 0, Troll

    Because of Big Business... We have laws like DMCA that limit our freedoms.

    Because of Big Business... We have companies like Microsoft who are holding back an entire industry.

    Because of Big Business... We are at war in Iraq.

    Because of Big Business... Because of Big Business... Because of Big Business...
    Are you getting the pattern here? People who support OSS generally are against Big Business. Open source software preserves our freedoms, nobody can take our Linux away from us.

  2. Re:What OS does Kerry or Bush use? by irokie · · Score: 0, Troll

    of course bush uses a mac... they're so pretty!

    hehe, reminded of that show on VH1 where dubya "sent his first email" by taping a letter to the screen of a suspiciously iMac looking puter.

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    and if you see me strut, remind me of what left this outlaw torn...
  3. Re:What OS does Kerry or Bush use? by NaDrew · · Score: 0, Troll

    If I had to guess, I suppose Bush uses stock XP Home (unpatched, of course) with the default cartoony Luna theme, mounds of adware popups, Comet Cursor and that purple monkey thing. And AOL.
    Which is not to say that Kerry is all that better, but I don't yet have an uninformed opinion of him based on five-second media clips.

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    Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
  4. Re:even for linux fanboys and MS haters by mike_sucks · · Score: 0, Troll

    i) prevents fair use, allows instant censorship
    ii) software patents, locking competitors out of hardware (TCPA)
    iii) any *thing* would be better than Bush - my right bollock for example

    Using Linux is one way to acheive freedom. Remove that and you've got one way less to be free.

    How long until you have no freedom left? /Mike

    --
    -- "So, what's the deal with Auntie Gerschwitz et all?"
  5. coincidence? by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 0, Troll

    "Bush appeals to business people" ...and to morons and to people who only do what they're told, and to people who believe whatever they see on the news, if they're also told it's "fair and balanced".

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    make install -not war

    1. Re:coincidence? by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 0, Troll

      You score -1, redundant. *Your* inserted word has zero information, except the implicit statement that you're obnoxious. BTW, I note that you've posted over 24 times (the Slashdot report limit) just today. Your greatest gift is your self-mockery.

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      make install -not war

    2. Re:coincidence? by Halfbaked+Plan · · Score: 0, Troll

      I don't respond to trolls with my 'No Karma Bonus' unclicked, and spam the discussion with personal snits.

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      resigned