Re: Return Economics html trivial debate

[moonwolf@earthling.net]

  Addressed to: kclark@computek.net
                am-info@essential.org
  
  ** Reply to note from kclark@computek.net Sat, 1 Nov 1997 04:40:06 -0500 (EST)
  > John, I guarantee you---and I don't even know where you live---that if you decided to
  > abandon MS in your business or personal computing situation, I could find you a Linux
  > advocate who would walk you through installation and setup, and I can find one in less
  > than a day. I bet the same could be said for both Mac and OS/2, among others. Not to
  > mention the fact that if there is a college or university within 100 miles of you, you can
  > find many comp sci undergrads who would love to help you manage your systems for $20 or so
  > per hour. That's not bad to give your company peace of mind and freedom from the MS
  > hegemony.
  
  
  I won't quote all of what you said in order to save bandwidth and make this easier to read.
  For me, this quote sums up the gist of your reply.
  
  What you have said for the Linux community is also true of the OS/2 community.  Consumer
  education is not an insurmountable hurdle.  It is a necessary step towards freedom.  As you
  say, consumer education is a small price to pay.  User Groups across the world - Linux,
  OS/2, Mac, all of alternative users - would be more than happy to share the responsibility
  and the privilege of educating the consumer in their local area.  It would not be expensive
  to implement because it would be a grass-roots movement.  Of course, that also precludes any
  strong central control.  A pledge to work together across operating systems, to help educate
  the public, might be all it takes for a miracle to happen.  An internet site where groups
  can report their efforts, and post projects, and recommend strategies, and express views,
  and . . . is perhaps a good way to begin.  Of course, we need exposure to the masses.
  That's where Ralph Nader comes in.  He can get the word out where we have all failed on our
  own.  Edward R. Mortimer cannot get his local Connecticut newspaper to print a letter to the
  editor about computer alternatives, but Ralph Nader can get the attention of the world.
  Edward R. Mortimer can put up a fantastic web site about an M$ alternative, but cannot get
  word out to the general public to tell them that it's there.  Ralph Nader can.  We each have
  something important to share here.  Each of us has special talents and abilities that can be
  used to change the world -- and make no mistake, that is what this conference is proposing
  to do.  But it will be the individuals working together for a common goal who will get
  things done.  Unix, Linux, OS/2, Mac, DOS, BeOS, NeXT, even Windows users -- all of us
  working together without prejudice to return choice to the consumer.
  
  There's another idea I'd like to express - interoperability.  It is not a dream, it is a
  real alternative.  I can run DOS, Windows, Linux & OS/2 programs on my Warp 4 system --
  either with built-in support, or freeware support. I can send files back and forth from my
  system to a Mac system with a freeware utility.  We can extend these technologies even
  further.  It really doesn't have to matter what anyone uses.  We can be compatible with each
  other if we abandon the Microsoft proprietary mindset.
  
  
  --
  Ed
  --
  
  Team OS/2
  MoonWolf Enterprises
  Edward R. Mortimer moonwolf@earthling.net
  The Land of Beyond  http://www.trailerpark.com/moonwalk/moonwolf/index.html
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