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Simon Robert wrote: > On Fri, 2008-12-12 at 11:08 +0000, Julian Hall wrote: > >> Henry Bremridge wrote: >> >>> couple of extra articles that give some background to the story. Not quite sure >>> what the truth is >>> >>> http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/digitalsavant/entries/2008/12/11/breaking_local.html >>> >>> Quote >>> >>> Now, Starks says he regrets the whole incident. "I don't think I've ever >>> committed one act that made me feel like such a schmuck," he said in a >>> phone interview with the American-Statesman today. >>> >>> >>> "Starks says he has spoken with the teacher twice since his Monday post and that >>> "Karen" was crying when they spoke. What she failed to mention in her >>> initial e-mail, he says, is that she gave the Linux discs back to the student >>> and was more concerned that there might be pornography or other >>> suspect material on the discs than about a non-Windows operating system being >>> introduced in the classroom." >>> >>> "Nevertheless, there's a bit of a silver lining in the story of how an angry >>> e-mail could rile the entire Linux world: on Saturday, Starks says, he has been >>> invited to install the Linux operating system on Karen's home computer. " >>> >> To me there are two ways of looking at this; >> >> 1. 'Karen' is a teacher who is incapable of expressing herself clearly >> in writing. Note her original email didn't even *hint* at pornography. >> That doesn't make her look good. >> >> 2. 'Karen' realises she stirred up a hornet's nest and is now trying to >> find an excuse for her original actions that is acceptable to the >> masses. Claiming she was worried about pornography in the classroom is >> one such excuse. Having said *that* she is therefore accusing Starks' >> kid of potentially distributing pornography. The words 'frying pan' and >> 'fire' spring to mind. >> >> It surprises me also that *if* as claimed there are 12,000 non-Windows >> computers in her district's education department (assuming either MacOS >> or Linux), how can 'Karen' be so ignorant about the nature of what Linux is? >> >> Kind regards, >> >> Julian >> >> > > "Karen" may well be a first class drongo. But we cannot know on the > basis of someone else's blog what she actually said. Unless we have full > access to the exchange I don't think you can be justified in drawing the > inferences above. According to austin360.com: the teacher said things she had no business saying about a topic she clearly didn’t understand. “It’s just giving us a bad name and it’s sad,” Salada said, “it’s so the opposite of what we are and what we’re trying to be.” Even her own executive director of technology is unhappy with what she has done. As for drawing conclusions, my first point is proven by the fact that she didn't mention pornography at all, yet now she does - so she didn't express herself clearly. Had she said 'I took the disks because I didn't know what was on them and was worried about pornography' everyone would be happy she was protecting kids from harmful influences. However she completely failed to mention what to anyone would be a *far more important* concern and instead pitched an ill-informed hissy-fit on Linux. The second point I admit is supposition, however it is founded on the first point, and on the facts that she is quoted as being upset, knows her identity is the subject of much discussion, and the reasonable assumption she would want to defuse the bomb before it finds her. She also claims to have used Linux in university, so she knows on at least a basic level what it is, or is she also claiming her university used 'illegal software'? One point I would like to clarify from another post though. They haven't said Google Earth etc are GPL. The quote actually says: Of the district’s 36,000 computers, two-thirds of them run Windows. However, these computers also run Open Office, Google Earth, Google Apps, Firefox and *many other free software, much of it open-source.* [my emphasis] The distinction IS made between free and open-source, they're not saying they are one and the same. One thing that irritates me though. They're talking of suing Ken Starks, yet 'making no concerted efforts' to find 'Karen'. If I were Ken and they do sue I would be inclined to say 'Fine, you sue and I will prove my case by naming Karen publicly'. I can't see the AISD has a case unless they can *prove* Ken made it all up, legal precedent of course saying they have to prove he *did* while he doesn't have to (but can) prove he didn't. Kind regards, Julian -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html