NewsForge: Linux people don’t need to be protected

“In most families, it goes something like this: kids think mom
is a dork. Kids slander mom behind her back. Neighbor says
something derogatory about kids’ mom. Kids beat the crap out of
neighbor. It’s a well-known fact: we can talk about our moms, but
you better not. Sound like anyone we know?”

“It’s logical, but stupid, that the most vocal supporters of
Linux follow this model. We can complain about Linux, but
when the neighbor kid has a bad experience and mentions it, he’s:
A) a complete moron; B) a Microsoft shill; C) a troll; or D) all of
the above. Not only that, but if he ever comes face to face with a
Linux constituent, he’ll probably get his eyes poked out.”

“Are Linux people really babies that need to be protected from
bad stuff? Are they really only ready for yummy pabulum spoon-fed
to them from scouts and thought police? No. Linux people are
smart, supposedly. We should credit them with enough intelligence
to read, examine, digest, consider, and harvest from all the
different points of view that exist in our wide world.”

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