NetSlaves.com: The Failure of Tech Journalism
Aug 29, 2001, 14 :18 UTC (47 Talkback[s]) (5950 reads) (Other stories by steve_gilliard) (As seen on kur05hin.org)
Read initially for personal curiosity, the article gets around to (and aims a
few barbs at) advocacy sites before moving on to broadsides against just
about every other facet of tech journalism, including fawning Windows reviews
and the cursory consideration given the worst abuses of the dot-coms:
"Well, two Mexican engineers tried "the Linux can be used by anyone" solution and well, nobody knew what the heck to do with it. They were shocked that they couldn't magically deploy Linux and have the masses use it. Well, if you drop TV dinners over New Guinea, you'll kill people because the food will go bad because they will eat the melted, rotting food long before they get the microwaves to cook it.
Folks, Linux is complicated. Not as much as brain surgery, but without serious help, most people can't use it effectively. The people who use it say "I got my grandmother on it" neglecting to mention they have 130 IQ's and are computer professionals. Oops. Think dad the accountant is going to learn to compile his own kernel? So the failure of the Mexican project is as surprising as college kids having unprotected sex in dorm rooms.
Of course, the story ran in Wired News.
In the same way, you'll never see a story about school districts rejecting the high costs of Apple in Macaddict. You have publications who have clearly taken a side and then stick to it. Linux skepticism is long overdue, but the missionary ideologues jump on your back and kick you in the balls. The kind of independent tech journalism needed to cover Linux doesn't exist. Not to slam Slashdot, because they do what they do, advocacy. But there is a need for more than that."
Readers sensitive to profanity will want to approach this item with care.
