DHS and M$

[David A. Bandel]

On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 21:35:53 -0400
Joel Hammer <Joel at hammershome.com> wrote:

> You are forgetting the ease of use question.

Let's see.  Oh, yeah, OpenOffice is incredibly hard to use because:
1.  it runs on UNIX (thought it ran on Windoze too)
2.  morons can't figure out how to start it because the icon has a
different look/name than M$ Word.
3.  it's command line only
4.  it's not M$
5.  it doesn't cost taxpayers billions for licenses
6.  M$ doesn't support it so it can't be good.
7.  morons can't install it on their systems (they can't install M$ Word
either, thank goodness it's preinstalled for them)

did I miss anything?

> 
> Do you think think the average govt employee would be able to handle a
> unix/linux box?  Guess who makes up a large percentage of govt workers
> in DC?

Do you think the large percentage of govt workers could handle a Windoze
boz? No.  They run spreadsheets and WP.  Sysadmins set up the boxes. 
Same argument valid both ways.  Hell, I can't set up networking in XP! 
The "Wizards" toast me every time.

> 
> For example, do you think that guy you quote on your signature would
> be able to configure and use a linux box?
>      "The man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has
>      wasted 30 years of his life."
> This man is brain damaged, and boxing may have made it worse.

Guess that depends on what you're talking about viewing.  When I was 20,
UNIX was king.  Now I'm nearly 50 and UNIX is still king.  At least it's
a consistent view.

> 
> Besides, I suspect most of the users will be clerks and typists,
> entering data, or administrator types, playing bureaucratic games. I
> doubt these computers will be used to model terrorist activity, attack
> terrorist computer sites, or crack codes.  

Yep.  Entering data.  From a UNIX box or a Windoze box, the only
difference is in the amount of time they can spend doing it because the
box isn't being rebooted.

> 
> My biggest hope is that Homeland Security (Wonder why they didn't call
> in Internal Security?) will frighten off the terrorists.  After all,
> they can't be too smart either, since we sitting ducks are still
> alive.

Because Homeland Security sounds more Nazi/SS.  I still hate the sound
of that name.

Ciao,

David A. Bandel
-- 
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
		Nemesis Racing Team motto
GPG key autoresponder:  mailto:david_key at pananix.com
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