[wplug] OT: Consumer Reports ignores open source

[steve leach]

Is this the same article which reviewed anti virus software?  I don't 
actually receive C.R., but I heard an interview the other day on NPR 
about this article.  I was amazed that they would devote so much time 
to anti virus, anti spy-ware, and security software for Windows while 
failing to mention that Windows is the only operating system on which 
such things are necessary (due both to a lack of security and to a 
virtually homogeneous population of unsecured windows boxes).  I don't 
have access to the article, but this is what I gathered from the story.




On Aug 18, 2004, at 12:10 AM, Scott F. Kiesling wrote:

>
> Hi all-
>
> I just read the latest computer reviews and virus tips in Consumer
> Reports. They said students "will need" MSOffice, and otherwise ignored
> all that is open source. Here is what I wrote to them, others may wish 
> to
> add their voice so that maybe they will at least mention the 
> possibility
> in the future.
>
> SFK
>
> I just read your September 2004, which was enlightening as usual. Glad 
> to
> see the Suzuki suit was dismissed.
>
> I was disappointed by some of your computer coverage, however, 
> especially
> in its overage of software, which missed some very good, mature
> but inexpensive programs.
>
> These are "open source" programs, which means they are free. Talk about
> value for money! I use completely open-source software on my Dell
> Inspiron.
>
> There are two places specifically where I think your readers are losing
> out by your not mentioning these programs. The first is in the email
> software. Many free browsers (such as Opera and Mozilla) have email
> programs which boast robust anti-span software. Mozilla Thunderbird, an
> email client which runs on pretty much any platform, has some great
> anti-spam features (and BTW it's 'sister' browser Firefox has some nice
> security features as well). These are just some of the possibilities 
> that
> readers might be interested in.
>
> The second problematic claim is on p.22, where you write that students
> will "probably need" a full version of MS Word. This just fuels the
> Microsoft monopoly. There are many alternatives. I use OpenOffice.org,
> which has ALL of the functionality of MS Office (and some better). DO 
> some
> research and you'll see that no one need to buy Office. I am a faculty
> member, and use OpenOffice.org to share documents with other faculty 
> and
> students; compatibility is not a problem.
>
> You will likely be worried about support. This is a non-issue. Support
> from commercial software, from what I hear from colleagues, is 
> useless. On
> the other hand, I find most widely used open-source programs like
> OpenOffice.org, the Mozilla suite, and especially Linux to have
> excellent support, even though (or maybe because) no one is getting 
> paid
> to provide it.  Support is made up of other users and often the 
> developers
> themselves. The only times I have failed to solve a problem is when it 
> is
> an actual bug in the program, and then it is usually fixed in the next
> version (which I do not have to pay for!), because I told the 
> developers
> about the bug directly. Try doing that with Microsoft. You do not have 
> to
> have a fast internet link to get these -- one can order CDs on the
> internet for as little as $5!
>
> Finally, note also that there are many open-source anti-spam and
> anti-virus programs, although the best solution is to simply use linux,
> because viruses are not written for Linux (and when they are, an army 
> of
> coders instantaneously write patches that fix them).
>
> You might do an entire issue on Linux and open source; you can steer 
> your
> readers to programs that work well, and Linux distributions which are 
> easy
> to use and/or allow them to try Linux without losing their windows. Red
> Hat, Lindows, Knoppix, and Libranet are among those that people might 
> try.
>
> I believe passionately in open source. It works. And it offers your
> readers some of the best value for money there is, so you should tell 
> them
> about it.
>
> Sincerely
> Scott Kiesling
>
> Links:
>
> www.openoffice.org
> www.mozilla.org
> www.opera.com
>
> -- 
> Scott F. Kiesling
>
> Assistant Professor
> Department of Linguistics
> University of Pittsburgh
>
> 2816 Cathedral of Learning     Phone: 1-412-624-5916
> Pittsburgh, PA 15217 USA       Fax: 1-412-624-6130
>
> kiesling at pitt.edu
> http://www.pitt.edu/~kiesling/skpage.html
> http://www.linguistics.pitt.edu
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