Advocating the use of Linux (was RE: kclug - KCLUG?!?!?!)

[Sam Clippinger]

When last we left our heroes, Mac had just said:
> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0">
> <meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
<snip>
> So, a spider or bot could pull up this page and
> view the "GENERATOR" meta tag to find out this page was made by Micorosoft
> Frontpage 4.0 and then report that information back to, oh, lets say,
> Microsoft, where it would be compiled in with a lot of other data into one
> of Microsofts propaganda paper which tells us that some greater
> percentage of the websites out there today are made using MS Frontpage
> 4.0.  This data then gets sent out with the MS Salespeople and MS
> Solutions Providers who lobby ISP's and hosting services pursuading them
> to use MS IIS 4.0 which has MS Frontpage Extensions to aid the greater
> percentage of its customers who are using MS Frontpage.

Even as far-fetched as that theory sounds on paper, I'm positive that's
EXACTLY what Microsoft is doing with those tags.  The statistics for editor
usage have to come from somewhere, and META tags are the best source.

However, the facts of the matter bear some consideration.  What happened on
this mailing list was that Rich called for a volunteer to take over the editing
of the KCLUG website because he was running out of time to give to it.
Silence.  He asked again.  Silence.  Finally, someone (evidently a newbie)
thought to themself "Self, you don't know much about HTML, but you've got
Frontpage and the group needs some help.  Since you can't do technical demos
and you want to repay the group for their help so far, you should step up and
do the webpage."  So they did the webpage the only way they knew how.  They
presented their efforts and probably expected someone to say "Hey! Thanks for
helping out!"  I'm sure Rich said that to them.

But then everyone else on the list (from the newbie's point of view) began
tearing down their work and stomping on it.  Here's the kicker: No one
complained about the design!  Nobody said "Yuck! Yellow pages are NASTY! Make
them red or something!"  Nobody said "Eeew! The numbers are too small! I can't
read them at my ultra-high resolution!"  Instead, (again from the newbie's point
of view) everyone shouted in unison "YOU PIECE OF SLIME! HOW _DARE_ YOU USE
FRONTPAGE?!"

Isn't that like criticising a writer for using a pencil instead of a pen?
Isn't that like leveling a new building because some construction worker used a
Phillips-head screw?

Now, as for the Frontpage issue, I agree with you that we shouldn't be
advocating its use by creating our pages with it.  HOWEVER, the fact remains
that when the call went out to the "enlightened masses" who knew how to use the
"correct" tools, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM RESPONDED.

I saw the call go out.  I know how to use the "correct" tools.  But I didn't
want to create the webpage and I really still don't.  "I'm not a good designer",
"I don't have enough time", "I don't know enough about what we want on the site",
blah blah blah.  Excuses.  I didn't respond, just like everyone else.

So a newbie did the pages in Frontpage after I was too LAZY to do them "the
right way".  Well, here's what I think about that: THANK YOU!  WE APPRECIATE
YOUR WORK!  PLEASE, CONTINUE TO HELP OUT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE NEED MORE
"DOERS" THAN "TALKERS".  I would have been happier if whoever did the pages
had put their name at the bottom so we could give them the credit they deserve.
All things considered, it's probably better that they didn't or they may have
gotten (even more) hate mail in their personal mailbox.

Unfortunately, after the treatment they got on this mailing list, I'd honestly
be surprised if they still subscribed to it.  If someone treated one of my first
efforts the way this list treated theirs, _I_ certainly wouldn't stick around.
I've got better things to do than be berated by strangers in my FREE TIME.

With all of that having been said, YES let's advocate Linux whenever we can.
YES let's figure out what about Microsoft products makes them so attractive so
we can make ours attractive too.  Above all, YES let's get more people using
Linux.  But if you're serious about advocating Linux, maybe you should put
yourself in a newbie's shoes for a few minutes and ask yourself what kind of
treatment would encourage you the most.

That's all I'm trying to say.

                                -sam

 Sam Clippinger               For PGP public key (KEY ID: 431C5529), see
samc at silence.org          http://www.micro.com/~samc or http://pgp.ai.mit.edu