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Date:      Sat, 04 Jan 2003 15:07:41 -0700
From:      Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
To:        swear@attbi.com (Gary W. Swearingen)
Cc:        Mike Jeays <mj001@rogers.com>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Bystander shot by a spam filter.
Message-ID:  <4.3.2.7.2.20030104145840.02925620@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <rcptrcppvl.trc@localhost.localdomain>
References:  <4.3.2.7.2.20030104131212.03837e10@localhost> <3E120659.3D60EB30@mindspring.com> <200212312041.gBVKfr183480@hokkshideh2.jetcafe.org> <3E120659.3D60EB30@mindspring.com> <4.3.2.7.2.20030104112015.026a5530@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20030104131212.03837e10@localhost>

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At 02:27 PM 1/4/2003, Gary W. Swearingen wrote:

>But anyone who cares knows where the pill is located and may eat the
>rest of the apple.  As true as your agenda crack 

"Crack?"

>is, we should not deny
>that there is a gift being granted; just not as much as we would like or
>as much as they lead people to believe.

The Trojan Horse looked like a gift too.

>> Yes, it has. It has made most such software dependent upon
>> a tool that is GPLed, which is a very bad thing.
>
>The publishing of gcc (or gcc itself) has not done that.  It's people's
>(I won't say "free") choice to make themselves so dependent.  

In other words, "Slavery is freedom?" This sounds a bit like RMS's
rhetoric. ;-)

>I don't
>blame either Bill Gates or RMS for publishing their proprietary
>software; their self-interests should be respected.  I just blame them
>for their unsavory behavior dealing with people and companies,
>especially for misleading people, in RMS's case.  And most of the blame
>goes to their "customers".

When someone engages in a deceptive trade practice, one should not blame
the consumers but rather the perpetrator. If you talk to people who use
Linux and GPLed software, you'll find that 99% of them have no idea 
whatsoever about the agenda they're promoting. (The same is true of
consumers who don't know that they're being forced to buy Microsoft
products. When I do support, and ask users, "What operating system
are you running?" It's amazing how often they draw a complete blank.)
In both cases, the consumers are acting more like automata than rational
beings. They're lambs to the slaughter.

>> Not true at all. People will put up with mediocrity if it's
>> available at no cost. To the point where it drives out much 
>> better commercial products. 
>
>Point made, but I don't think it's fair to blame the pawn shop for the
>lack of a Tiffinis in your town.

Items at pawn shops aren't available at no cost. In fact, they're usually
not even a good bargain.

>  The blame belongs to the consumers.

Again, I'm afraid I have to disagree here. Mass behavior is often
only rational on a "micro" level and not a "macro" one. 

At the risk of triggering Godwin's Law, I don't blame the majority of 
Germans for WWII or the atrocities thereof. I blame Hitler and his 
cronies. The Germans were taken for a ride... into a devastating, 
brutal war that severely hurt them.

--Brett




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