Re: eGovOS conference in D.C.; I'm not attending that

[Chalu Kim]

Is this some sort of "the Art of the War" stuff.

Isn't it better to know the animal than turning eyes until it harbors in your 
domain?

"to know yourself and know your enemy, hundred fights are hundred wins."

On Saturday 08 February 2003 11:00 am, Stanley A. Klein wrote:
> The conference is about the use of free/open-source software by government
> at all levels and internationally.  Microsoft applied to speak.  Even
> though they are not properly involved in free/open-source software the
> proper thing to do politically is to let them speak in a panel session
> structured as a debate and let them get skewered at the Q&A as everybody
> knows they will.
>
> Remember the conference is taking place in Washington, DC to try to
> influence the government on the benefits of free/open-source software.
>
> Since you seem to be rather ignorant of politics and how things are done in
> the real world, let me be more graphic in talking about the uproar and
> firestorm I mentioned in my previous posting.  We want the headline in the
> press to be " 'Shared source is lipstick on a pig' respond attendees to
> Microsoft position in an open debate at a free/open-source conference."
>
> We don't want the headlines to be "Academic freedom is OK for controversial
> racists but not for Microsoft,"  "Whatever happened to the first amendment
> -- George Washington University charged with bias against unpopular views
> at conference,"  "Microsoft is right, Free Software is UnAmerican charge
> Microsoft supporters in Congress after Microsoft denied right to speak at
> free/open-source software conference,"  "Government employees ordered to
> withdraw from conference committee and drop involvement with Free Software
> after controversy over rejection of Microsoft as speaker at conference."
>
> Does that make things more clear?
>
> I don't understand your remark about Bayonne being denied a first place
> award by Microsoft being at LinuxWorld.  Everybody knew Microsoft's booth
> was a joke and an attempt to "show their flag" where they knew they had no
> support.
>
> I understand that Tony Stanco spoke at LinuxWorld to the effect that the
> Free Software and Open-Source software communities need to learn how to
> lobby in Washington to counter Microsoft's big-bucks lobbying efforts.
> This discussion proves to me that this community has an enormous amount of
> learning to do before it capable of becoming as effective at lobbying as it
> needs to become.
>
>
> Stan Klein
>
> At 07:35 PM 2/8/2003 -0500, Ruben I Safir wrote:
> >> Are you suggesting that in order for the conference to be legitimate a
> >> university and a conference committee that includes several government
> >> employees should deny a speaker from Microsoft the right to present the
> >> Microsoft position in debate before an audience almost guaranteed to be
> >> packed with active competitors and adversaries of Microsoft?
> >>
> >> Can you imagine for a moment the uproar and political firestorm that
> >> would result from such a situation?
> >
> >Fine, as long as it takes place out of the room and as long as they get my
>
> name
>
> >and the URL for the Free Software Chamber of Commerce right before they
>
> attack it
>
> >In any event, it's not a debate.  If it's a debate on Free Software versus
> >Propriatory software, say so on the website so that everyone knows this
> > and is prepared going in.
> >
> >Overwise, it's a conference on the reasons and uses of Open Source and
>
> Free Software
>
> >for government and Microsoft doesn't qualify under EITHER category.
> >
> >> As an attendee and participant in this and related events, let me assure
> >> you that the event does not merely pretend to be part of our community,
> >> it is part of our community.  And the spirit of our community is not
> >> betrayed.
> >
> >If this event includes Microsoft, it betrays the Community.  Bayonne was
>
> imediately
>
> >affected by the presense of Microsoft at LWE in NY by denying it a first
>
> place award
>
> >and the press it deserved.
> >
> >That translates to food on dinner plates for my members ... period.
>
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-- 

Chalu Kim
eGenius Inc
"Apple, PC and Linux/BSD Service in New York"
address@hidden, (718) 858-0142