Re: [edlug] Big blue v Big poo

[hancock@xxx.xxx.xxx (Peter G. Hancock)]

>>>>> Leo Friel wrote (on Fri, 26 Mar 2004 at 19:07):

    > Anyone got any tales from last nights Open Source debate (or
    > links to a blog even)? (Would love to have been there but new
    > baby and all that...)

Here's my impressions.  There were many of us there.

It was well attended.  About 50% suits (including Peter George!),
and 50% neckbeards, unemployed, zealots, etc.  Met some Linux
people from Aberdeen, who seemed friendly.

The IBM chappy was quite down-key, anxious not to frighten any horses,
and boring.  He stressed portability of OS; that there were all kinds
of licences besides GPL; and that it was all a matter of analysing
your business needs.  (I think he was some kind of business-needs
analyst.)

The M$ chappy was slightly more charming, and a little more stroppy.
My overall impression was that he wasn't making arguments, but
counter-arguments, which was interesting.  Linux is insecure (proved
by various dodgy histograms), bugs get fixed slowly (you what?!), TCO,
Microsoft is open-source anyway (you what?!), and their "agile" and
"innovative" (seemed to mean voice and handwriting recognition).
I heard nothing I hadn't seen/heard before -- except perhaps
the charming admission that whoever it was in M$ who thought
up their new model for charging their customers deserved an award
from the OS community. 

There was some kind of vote.  I think linux won. 

There was copious booze.  I spoke to some very nice Melville Craig
people, and some eccentric businessmen of various kinds, one with a
really splendid tie.  There was an unpleasantly aggressive M$ zealot
consultant who verbally beat the crap out of me.  At chucking-out time
I went and got blasted with a charming bloke from the BBC who's their
local Mac guru. (Hi Joe!)

Hank
-
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find the EdLUG mailing list FAQ list at:
http://www.edlug.org.uk/list_faq.html