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)."

Comments

They ought to provide training for Linux

[BadAnalogyGuy]

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All these people with their outdated Microsoft training.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?

Re:They ought to provide training for Linux

[Savage-Rabbit]

All these people with their outdated Microsoft training. Whatever will they do?

You're right!!! We need to wipe Linux off the face of the face of the earth and what better place to begin than by destroying those smug penguins. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all /. readers with outdated Microsoft training to sign on as commercial Penguin hunters on my upcoming expedition to Antarctica. I need lots of people with deadly chair throwing skills.

Re:They ought to provide training for Linux

[Tubal-Cain]

OS X and Linux are STILL just playing catchup to where Windows was 5 years ago.

That could be a good thing. Vista wasn't around 5 years ago.

Re:They ought to provide training for Linux

[thetoadwarrior]

Yeah it's only a matter of time until OSX rips off Vista's sweet interface.

Re:They ought to provide training for Linux

[Anonymous Coward]

OS X and Linux are STILL just playing catchup to where Windows was 5 years ago.

That could be a good thing. Vista wasn't around 5 years ago.

I would argue that neither OS X nor Linux have reached parity with Windows yet: neither have a virus problem or an entire software industry (AV) spawned to support it.

In other news,

[idontgno]

Microsoft refuses to bankroll the "We Are Linux" marketing video campaign. Those monopolist bastages.

Wouldn't touch Linux with a 10 foot pole

[Anonymous Coward]

Full of holes and viruses...

Re:Wouldn't touch Linux with a 10 foot pole

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft: Full of holes and viruses. Like a broken condom.

Re:Wouldn't touch Linux with a 10 foot pole

[Anonymous Coward]

I always knew Vista was an unwanted child.

The Gov. of Wash. is in the tank for Microsoft?

[Presto Vivace]

I am shocked, positively shocked. Who could imagine such a thing?

Gettysburg PowerPoint address ..

[viralMeme]

Just think what it would have done for Abe Lincoln's presentation at Gettysburg

Re:And you expected something different?

[Jonner]

Yeah, you're right. All GNU/Linux users use command-line interfaces and manipulate strings with sed and awk. Mere mortals should be confined to the Microsoft sandbox. They could never be expected to be productive with anything but the quality products from Redmond.

Re:Slashdotters: regard this as a GOOD thing

[skathe]

Agree with the above.

Being a "guru" has historically meant you will get paid well for doing a job that isn't all that difficult.

I once heard a story (can't cite a source sorry) about a computer tech working in an office for a cable company. Another computer tech from a different office had shown up, and something prompted one of the ladies in the front of the office to reboot her computer. The computer tech from the other office told the lady he could help her reboot (read: windows 98 was the OS), at which point the lady almost had a panic attack and said that John (the computer tech from this office) was the only one that could reboot the computer. John is called on the intercom, comes to her workstation, fiddles with the underside of the keyboard, the back of the computer, and finally restarts it. When asked later why he did all of that just to hit Start->Shutdown->Restart, he replied "job security."

Re:learn PowerPoint and Access skills

[Dr Caleb]

How do you pronounce 'grep'? I've always just said 'grep'. But I've heard some from out east say it like 'grep'.

One guy from Europe even goes so far as to emphasize it as 'grep'.

Re:What are "Linux skills"

[Jonner]

Yeah, now that I think about it, I was wrong. Training from Microsoft is the best way to learn to use word processors and spreadsheets.They did invent them after all.

In other news...

[atomic-penguin]

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.