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Microsoft Won't Vouch For Linux
theodp writes "Gov. Christine Gregoire applauded Microsoft's job training partnership with WA state and county government agencies, which calls for the distribution of 30,625 training vouchers statewide during the next 90 days. 'This program [Elevate America] is all about equipping people with the new skills they'll need to get a job in the changing economy,' said Microsoft Counsel Brad Smith, who also made it very clear that getting 'workforce ready' won't involve acquiring any Linux skills. At least this offer appears to be no-cost, unlike the $35 Microsoft requested in an e-mail come-on for 'The Stimulus Package for Your Career' (so much for Smith's and Gregoire's war on spam)."
Next year could very well be the Year of Linux on the Desktop.
All these people with their outdated Microsoft training. Whatever will they do?
The theory of common sense states that if a company is paying to offer you training, then the training will probably focus almost entirely on, if not exclusively on, their own products. Does anybody really expect any company, Microsoft included, to pay for you to undergo training to make them obsolete one day/
"It's a reverse vampire...they....they crave the sun!"
So a company is giving training on their platform, and this is wrong how? Specially, if I understood correctly, it will be "free" (as in, neither the state nor you will pay with money for it, and not the "but they will be brainwashing the masses" type of cost)
What about Canonical try to partner with a state to offer training vouchers statewide and train people on the ways of Linux? That would be sweet, and awesome. Only think would be try to get Linux users with teaching skills for the non-technical. After all, your public wouldn't be grad students.
--- "When you gotta do something wrong. You gotta do it right. (Fighter)"
"The news conference included comments from Joy Waynewood, a 46-year-old Seattle resident who was laid off from her job as a customer service receptionist in December and plans to use the voucher program to learn Microsoft PowerPoint and Access skills"
She'd be better off learning a scripting language, that way she won't have to sit there filling in click boxes. Instead let the computer do the job, instead of what invariably happens under the Microsoft paradigm, helping the computer do the work.
Oh the horror!
"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
Because it's her own state's most famous industry. Obviously, people in such positions don't do this out of selfLESSness.
What the hell will some 35,000 vouchers for msoft training do for these people? The ONLY immediate TWO advantages they have that comes to mind:
-- trainable monkeys, as in likely not yet corrupted with their own ways of doing things for a very long time
-- entry-level pay
The disadvantages to/for existing, qualified cert holders:
-- insulting influx of competion, further invalidating prior certs and attendant costs
-- perception as being too expensive or too stuck in old ways
-- terrible economy for attained income level expections
I dare say that ms is:
-- just doing "make-work", and threatening the very people who already DO NOT NEED more, unjustified competition. Giving out 35,000 training vouchers is likely to ultimately prove to be a boondogle of taxpayer money (unless msoft wants to foot the bill and get the money back when these "trainees" buy ms training materials AFTER successful graduation...AND NOT ONE DAY BEFORE!)
-- facilitating a governer looking as if doing good when in THIS economy, it's likley just giving false hope to MANY people who'll get hired because HR can punch a ticket for a qualfied person; Accounting can sign off on lower pay; IT can chime in with HR on having obtained a qualified person
Just my off-the-cuff assertions.
Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
Get a FREE retake of a failed exam plus an E-Learning Collection for just $35 USD
Now how can it be a free retake if you have to pay 35 dollars to get it? Is this the same scam like "Free" Credit Report.com that actually requires you to buy a subscription to their site to get the "free" credit report?
Microsoft refuses to bankroll the "We Are Linux" marketing video campaign. Those monopolist bastages.
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
Really, what would Linux skills be? The only things that are really uniform between different Linux distributions are the same elements that are already present in Windows anyway.
And, in general, the common applications available on Linux are also available on Windows. Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, etc.
Why you consider this bad, I don't understand.
Linux is taking over in the data centers of America. You don't WANT competition from voucher trained indviduals. The free market will value your Linux skills, and the scarcity will drive your value up.
Look what MCSE boot camps did to Windows SysAdmin salaries. Just historically chart them with Janco data or Salary.com historical data.
Personally, I want EVERY government training program to be training people is skills the real free market considers useless. Don't you?
Full of holes and viruses...
I am shocked, positively shocked. Who could imagine such a thing?
I like these responses to the current unemployment situation. It is a easy way to get people retrained on your product, which may result in corporate sales later on. More importantly, most of this is a defense against free software.
Without such give aways, how many people would simply go to the library a check out a book on linux. How many people would download free software and learn to use it. One can learn to animate on the free version of blender or learn to code using eclipse or learn general IT skills on Linux. I would say enough that we might see small businesses start that are based on OSS, and that could be a problem to firms that are based on customer support, but selling licenses, like you know who.
In any case, i still think these programs are good. The number of people who can educate themselves are limited, and we have formal schools to help those who need a formal setting. It would be nice, however, if formal schooling did not so often involve closed source, draconian licensed, software.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
Just think what it would have done for Abe Lincoln's presentation at Gettysburg
I think the only way something like this would come as a surprise to anyone would be if a respected company that had no relation to a certain OS made this kind of comment.
I mean did anyone really expect Microsoft to help sell/train/promote their competition?
"This is the value of a summer spent and a winter earned"
Read the classified adds.
Visit your state employment office. Talk to a temp service. Look at the number of jobs which demand competence in MS Office and Windows.
Look especially closely at entry level jobs. Re-entry jobs for retirees and others long out of the job market.
The Linux market is in the back office. Where you will be expected to deliver the sun, moon and stars at the deep-discount price.
This isn't entry level employment. It isn't even your basic up-grade.
It's for the guy with five to ten years experience managing really, really, big, mission-critical networks and systems.
Well, that brings up the question, what exactly are "Linux skills"? I mean, if it's using a desktop, moving windows around, learning about files and directories, word processing, and spreadsheets, those aren't Linux skills, they are generic computer/office skills, in which case people are better off learning those skills in Windows, since at that level, that is what they will be using in their new job.
When I hear "Linux skills", I think "skills you need to use Linux but don't need to use Windows/Mac." So, yeah, command-line. Man pages. If you can't use a terminal or man pages, you're not going to get far with Linux. Maybe it's possible if you're using Ubuntu on very popular hardware and you never do anything exciting with your computer, in which case the skills you need are just as easily learned from Microsoft.
"Anyone who [rips a CD] is probably engaging in copyright infringement." - David O. Carson
bust isn't Microsoft's Windows being sold as if "grand ma can even use it" all of a sudden one needs to learn how to use a computer... what happened to intuitively poking around and make things work?
I find it VERY ignorant of anyone (including some family members) not having realized that the computer revolution that started in the 80ies is actually something that they need... whether they LIKE it or NOT.
Now a company like Microsoft needs to give incentives to make people use computers? Common... wtf... talk about living under a friggin rock.
If people did not start to use computers by 2000 and they were about 50 then they shouldn't even start now... too much of a culture shock. They have the smart-phones though... thankfully!
IMHO Microsoft is doing worthless pandering about this.
To make a misquote, your statement holds for very small values of dominating .
First off, extra caution should be kept in mind in dealing with actions from a convicted monopolist.
That said, two aspects worry me:
-Government endorsement of the program. This is just so very peculiar and even outside of the monopolist context, kind of disturbing.
-I suspect they'll be able to write off expenses incurred in this as a donation. However, MS extracts a non-trivial amount of marketing leverage and as such, expenses should not be considered charitable in nature. As anyone who has undergone MCSE training, MS training programs are comprised of a significant amount of salesmanship.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
You know, I think someone missed your point when they modded you down.
Someone either has no critical thought skills, or, so insecure about the superiority of one OS over the other that they must mod down comments that fly against their preconceived notions.
Your pick.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
Microsoft perpetuates lock-ins with "free" certification training for its overpriced moderately functional software.
Linux still needs some work in the area of user friendlyness.
Now, most of it is because of lack of native support, but some of it is by design.
Really, most of the community is focused on the core of linux. Very few people have concerned themselves with user experience, as the assumption has been that most people using linux are savvy enough to figure things out for themselves.
They're too tied up "vouching" for the Xbox.
This is news?
This sounds more like a belief system than a fact. In both cases the consultants know a lot of stuff that is Windows specific or UNIX specific. If you spend most of your time with one or the other you might confuse OS specific knowledge with general computer knowledge.
The best example I can think of is how some people believe that knowing a CLI means you know more about computers.
Linux skills won't get you chicks. What you really need are the more important skills... You know, nunchuk skills, bow staff skills, computer hacking skills... girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
The Communist Party of China says it wont vouch for Democracy
Drug pushers have been seen in the vicinity of school yards, handing out free samples.
Have gnu, will travel.
30,000 new hotmail.com accounts and 30,000 new Silverlight downloads.
I guess if you can't get people to try your crappy software and services on their own, you can shove it down their throat by gov't mandate. Nice.
The Communist Party of China says it wont vouch for Democracy
Neither will Obama.
Redhat isn't vouching for Windows either.
Just not the same thing. Apple convinced insecure and wannabe nerds (and some real nerds too) that a big shiny new gadget will make them look cool. The Linux Community is trying to convince people that enjoy finger painting and story-time that reading and writing are valuable skills that that can benefit you throughout your entire life.
I am sure this sounds like typical fanboyism, but have you ever listened to someones excuses for not wanting to learn to read, write, or learn basic algebra? It is the same excuses: It won't be relevant to the career I want, I get along just fine speaking, that's just for smart people. Well, how is it that Linux can be both demonized for being inferior AND only for the really smart computer genius type. Might it be worth a moment to try and see what they see? Honestly, that is what convinced me that despite the fact that it was HARD, and there were things I had to LEARN or even REMEMBER, it was about communicating, building, developing, and working together in a radically different way. I think it took me about a year to get comfortable with Linux, several more before I really began to see why it is used in all the places that it is, and why people feel so passionately about it.
Some people see a computer as a fancy typewriter for papers, a canvas for painting a picture, and an easier way to send letters and pictures than via snail mail. digital music is just another way to listen to music. For all those old things done in new ways, there is something uniquely special that can be expressed through a computer that isn't just a digital form of the same old thing in a different way. There is something uniquely powerful that enables people to fundamentally work different, and only Linux is where people can share instantly and unlimitedly the tools to express yourself and communicate with the world DIFFERENTLY.
Sure, Microsoft and Apple let you push the button, but just like reading and writing, no matter how good the story is told, don't think that is any kind of substitute. You just aren't talking about the same thing. It isn't digital literacy.
But don't worry, sure I am making a big deal out of nothing. You can already read and write, and computers are really just like books where it is easier to fix mistakes without wasting paper. There are nerds out there that take care of this stuff so that normal people can use them like books. Doubt learning how they work would ever be something worth anything to the 'normal' user.
I stopped paying attention when it went from "The year of Linux" to "The year of the Linux Desktop". Didn't anyone notice what happened in between? Further, The Year of the Linux Desktop was 2004 with the release of openSuse. The Year of Linux was 1997 with the Internet. If you care about being literate in a digital age, you know about Linux.
Wish I had made the effort to learn earlier, but guess just happy to be there. Having been there, there is just no way to explain to an adult illiterate person the value of learning how to read and write. I know it sounds elitist, but it really just struck me today how similar the arguments are. Think about it.
Alright, now flame away.
Want Big Business out of government? Take away the incentive and start by getting government out of big business!
Then the US I am sure will be fine in no time because by the same logic Congressmen + deeper pockets filled by lobbyists must equal better government for every American and citizen of the world. Thanks for clarifying that issue for me. I had always been told that corruption and bribes harm society, but so it would seem it really contributes to the GREATER good. Guess I just wasn't seeing how much GREATER that really was. Thanks.
Now that I understand, think I am going to call up my bank and thank them for raising my interest rate.
Want Big Business out of government? Take away the incentive and start by getting government out of big business!
Yay! M$ doesn't need to vouch for Linux. Infact, I'm glad they don't. Our skills are highly valued, and people will keep on using Linux. Linux will keep on growing, but with the right kind of people. Not because of buzzwords. Or M$ approval. For every couple of M$ jobs that gets filled, more Linux jobs will open: And I'm expensive. :)
I read the article, and it really is as stupid as the summary and article title. Microsoft won't vouch for Linux! OMG, it must be a Microsoft conspiracy against Linux, let's post it on Slashdot! Who seriously expects Microsoft to provide training vouchers for competing products?
In other ridiculous and pointless news...
Oracle won't vouch for SQL Server, MySQL or PostgreSQL.
Red Hat won't vouch for Solaris.
EMC won't vouch for Equallogic.
Dell won't vouch for HP/Compaq, or IBM.
Google won't vouch for Windows Live Search, or Yahoo.
/^([Ss]ame [Bb]at (time, |channel.)){2}$/
Those of us who are trained on the latest technology are having a hard time finding jobs. I suspect that the few job openings out there are swamped with resumes. It's hard to get noticed in a sea of thousands.
So, while it might be great to increase the education level of the general populace, I hope they don't expect to automatically get a job with their new skills.
Wanted: witty unique signature. Must be willing to relocate.
Expensive = Expendable.
M$ used three times in one paragraph = Trivial and adolescent.
Don't underestimate the opposition.
The training is for jobs in the MS Office enviroment, jobs which strengthen Windows's position as a client OS and as the server OS of choice for small business. We aren't talking about a couple of jobs. We are talking about a labor pool of 30,000 workers.
To avoid militant advocacy under the guise of moderation, all that needs to happen is /. need to stop anonymous moderation. Sign each mod score with uid, and voila, the next time they are about to mod down a legitimate post whose author will likely moderate also, they will think twice, cause as they say, "payback is a bitch".
End anonymous moderation and posting on
Seriously, WHY is this on /.? I've always known the news is pro-Linux but this is just ridiculous.
If you've ever seen a Windows Blue Screen --> you are not qualified to use Windows. Please format your C: and install your wimpy little Lunix program and leave the real Operating Systems to the real men. You will forever live in your Mom's basement reduced to rubbing it out with your own tears while watching star trek because you will never touch a woman.
Mmmmm...... you have just given me an idea
Very well said, sir. I used to get into all sorts of arguments with the various $FANBOIS, but gave it up. Now, when somebody who has "honestly tried Linux" goes off on a tangent on how difficult it is, or it will NEVER be ready for his mother, or whatever.... I just shrug and walk away. I have better things to do than waste my time trying to convince somebody when that person is simply too lazy to think. If they want to battle through the mud of Windows, fine. Let them.