Aftermath of "No Free Software" Teacher | Hacker News Reader

Aftermath of "No Free Software" Teacher

linuxlock.blogspot.com

22 pointstialys9 comments

I suspect this is a publicity ploy. Maybe I'm cynical.

I believe this is the same guy who got massive attention with his story of someone telling him that when his project gives a computer to a child with Down's syndrome, they are "wasting it on an idiot." Terrible. If it happened. If you're David, why not invent Goliaths and play the persecution angle for attention?

http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/09/wasted-on-idiot.html

It's a great way to draw attention to yourself and your project. I'm hoping I'm wrong, but my bs detector is going off--this smells funny.

People piled on because they don't like the idea of a teacher being ignorant and forcing a backwards view on their kids. Frankly, I don't blame them, and I don't think the guy or his reaction was off-base. Ranting in your blog is kind of geeky, but whatever.

If anything, it just points to a lack of civility among both people involved. Couldn't the teacher have said, "Hey, what are those disks you're giving out?" Couldn't the guy have said, "Ha! No, this is definitely legal. Here, let me show you what cool stuff we have for free..."

Herd mentality strikes again. I didn't think this was a big deal when he wrote the original post and I still don't think it's a big deal after this follow-up.

He obviously has both integrity and compassion. Good for him for taking his lumps and hopefully expanding her awareness that the sun doesn't rise and set on Redmond, WA. I hope she will explore the vast richness available in the open-source world, especially Linux. There is some great software out there for educators and students.

> the sun doesn't rise and set on Redmond, WA

I think the Anti-Microsoft bit was actually distracting - it appears central to the issue, but I'd say the actual point was ignorance over free software.

I think it should be focused on informing people of their (ever-expanding) options, rather than bash decisions they've made in the past.

Good for him for straightening things out. I can really understand getting ticked at ignorance, even well-meaning ignorance. Moreover, I can really understand being ignorant on an esoteric issue... I am quite ignorant about a great many things.

Ignorance is fine. It's trying to force your ignorance on others (like that teacher did) that's bad. If you don't understand the issue, don't forcibly confiscate the free software and yell at people.

I don't understand (many aspects of) biology. So, I don't go confiscating biology textbooks, claiming they are full of lies.

Yet another person finds out the hard way that the internet is serious business. When you do something on the internet, it also happens in real life.

Wrath, internet style.

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