[article URL + commentary] Microsoft targets amateur programmers

From: Karl Hegbloom (hegbloom_at_pdx.edu)
Date: 06/29/04

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    To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 10:50:20 -0700

    Has anyone else seen this? What do you fine folks think about it?

    http://msn-cnet.com.com/Microsoft+targets+amateur+programmers/2100-1007_3-5248349.html?part=msn-cnet&tag=feed_2501&subj=ns_5248349

    My response is that I think that we should each burn 10 to 50 Quantian
    (www.quantian.org) or Knoppix (www.knoppix.org) CD's, print nice labels
    to stick on them, and put them in simple clear-front CD envelopes. We
    will then hand them out at High Schools, College Computer Science
    departments, Cyber Cafe's, Arcades, computer camps (under the table),
    book stores... (Where else? Any ideas?)

    The thing is that handing them out at Linux user group meetings is
    great, but we're preaching to the choir there. We need to collectively
    reach out and bring the message to people who may otherwise never have
    heard of Free Software... people who still have msn.com as their IE home
    page, have @msn.com eMail addresses, and who believe that Visual Basic
    is the be all and end all of computer programming languages.
    (http://www.teach-scheme.org)

    I'm slightly afraid that many people will be afraid to boot these CD's,
    due to the computer virus racket endemic to the Microsoft OS platform.
    There is a lot of FUD surrounding use of software that's not "windows
    logo approved". Pondering this, I wonder if this FUD is created
    deliberately in order to try and slow the spread of Logiciel Libre?
    Please do not EVER put a virus or Windows trojan horse on one of those
    CD's lest you ruin our reputation. (Guess who might try that tactic?) 

    -- 
Karl Hegbloom <hegbloom@pdx.edu>
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