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All these people with their outdated Microsoft training.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

[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

[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.

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

[Presto Vivace]

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

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'.