Is this something we (as consumers of FreeBSD) need to be aware of?

[Damien Fleuriot]

On 9 Jun 2012, at 18:48, Chad Perrin <perrin at apotheon.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 06, 2012 at 11:42:37PM +0200, Damien Fleuriot wrote:
>> 
>> On 6 Jun 2012, at 21:52, Dave U. Random <anonymous at anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:47:11 +0100, Matthew Seaman wrote:
>>>>> Having to pay Verisign instead of Microsoft makes no difference: the
>>>>> point is why should I have to pay anything to a third party in order to
>>>>> run whatever OS I want on a piece of hardware I own?
>>> 
>>> It's time to dump the Intel/Microshaft mafia forever. FreeBSD, OpenBSD,
>>> NetBSD, and even Linux have ports to many platforms. Why stay on Intel? It's
>>> an overgrown ugly mess.
>>> 
>>> We need to stop buying Intel mafiaware with preinstalled Microshaft mafiware
>>> and run a free (or in the case of Linux "apparently free") OS on free
>>> hardware.
>>> 
>>> There are increasing numbers of SBCs and plenty of used servers on
>>> Ebay. They're all built better than commodity Intel mafiaware. Good
>>> riddance!
>>> 
>> 
>> You have no idea what you're talking about.
>> 
>> This kind of religious propaganda post is neither constructive nor
>> helpful.
> 
> It should be noted that your tone is neither constructive nor helpful, to
> say nothing of your contentless response.  Do you have anything useful to
> say in response to what Dave U. Random contributed -- perhaps a
> thoughtful refutation of some specific point(s)?  I hope you have more of
> value to contribute than your obvious disdain for people who disagree
> with you about something (without even specifying on what points you
> disagree).
> 
> -- 
> Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]
> 

If you had bothered to read all the other mails I've posted on this very specific thread, you wouldn't need to ask the question.


If you're going to participate in the Linux zealots' propaganda that makes OSS defenders sound so ridiculous and delusional, so be it.

Fact is, if Microsoft didn't deliver acceptable products, people wouldn't use them.
Calling them a mafia is neither constructive (I invite you to look up the word mafia in a thesaurus), nor backed up by actual facts.

OP is just going on a rampage about MS and intel.



You want to follow his advice and advocate the exclusive use of alpha machines ?
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree here.
No, I'm not gonna use alphas.
And no, I'm not going to let a random person (hey, choice words !) call intel or MS a mafia just because he's on a zealot crusade.


You might want to take a minute to consider the contributions of both to computing.
Without MS (and IBM amongst others) it's possible that computing would never have reached such an audience as it has.
So I'm going with the (possibly false) assumption that without MS and other major actors, not many people would use computers nowadays.
All this magnificent OSS wouldn't be of much use then.
After all, who would need FreeBSD servers to host web sites that had neither visitors nor purpose ?

One might see MS as the ultimate evil, yet they're strongly implemented in corporate IT.
One might wonder why, before engaging in a crusade, and brandishing empty words as their weapons.

I invite you to re-read OP's post and highlight what in "mafiaware", "wintel" and "microshaft" you find constructive.
I also invite you to read all his points about why exactly intel is an "overgrown ugly mess".
I regret to report I have found none, might you point them out for me ?



Now, I shall leave you to read my other posts on this "secure boot" topic, that you might quit claiming I have nothing to contribute.