Linux in the popular press.

[Calum]

Hiya, just thought this might be o interest, i was reading Private Eye last night (it is a popular current affairs magazine in the UK), and i noticed the following in the letters section:
 

quote:Breaking Windows
Sir, I would like to add to Alan Cox's sound advice not to upgrade to Microsoft's annual licence renewal and save money. An alternative operating system, Linux, is available for free. Linux is an industrial strength operating system used extensively on the server side of the internet and is available in a desktop windows like version. It has been developed over the years in a similar way to the internet, ie in the public domain with no one owning it. It has many technical advantages over Windows too long (boring) to list but those interested should check it out. Over the years, how many additional teachers and nurses could be paid for by avoiding the Microsoft tax? If you publish this, please withhold my name because I unfortunately have to rely on Microsoft and don't want to fall out with them just yet. NAME SUPPLIED via email.

Now i think that this sort of thing appearing in the popular press is infinitely better than being confined to geek forums and people who already know about linux (whether they are opposed to it or what).
 
Just to give you some sort of perspective, the same issue also featured the following article:  

quote:DOES SADDAM POSSESS A MOUSTACHE? By our Defence Staff Brig. John Trumper-Smythe THE DOSSIER released last week by Tony Blair contains conclusive evidence that Saddam Hussein has the capacity to grow a moustache within 48 hours.
In fact he may already have one. Intelligence reports from deep inside Iraq suggest that the Iraqi Moustache Project (codenamed SADMOUST) is already highly advanced. Details of the project could not be included in the dossier in case they compromised valuable intelligence sources (poss. G. Bush).
Cat and Moustache Saddam has a long history of playing "cat and mouse" games with UN Moustache Inspectors. Sometimes they are allowed into the Presidential Palace - at other times they are told that it is closed "for repairs". Said one former inspector: "Saddam cannot be trusted. He could easily have a moustache by now. But we would not necessarily know." That moustache dossier in full 2-94

[KernelPanic]

Now how can anyone say english people arent funny?

Those stupid sterotypes of a loser in a tweed jacket and trousers that are too short have got to go.

ps. Scottish people are funny too (drier humour than even I dish out) and Irish people are even funnier, even when they're not trying, and especially when they've been on the Guiness.  

[kompresseduk]

linux was also shown on click|online, a nerdy programme made by the bbc. saw it on bbc news 24, but you can watch it here: http://bbcworld.com/content/template_clickonline.asp?pageid=666

[hm_murdock]

English people not funny? Where do people get that idea?

Monty Python
Mr. Bean
Black Adder
Are You Being Served?
Red Dwarf
Waiting For God

And likely hundreds of others that I've not seen. English humor (or humour) I feel is superior to Americans' idea of comedy.

Whereas our worthless sitcoms have become diluted to the point of being a bunch of cloned shows, the British just get more absurd... which is GOOD.

Americans see absurd, bawdy, or insulting comedy as bad... why? Because Americans have been sold the "products" that American TV sells. Oh, and nearly everything on American TV sucks.

American shows that are/were funny

Who's Line Is It Anyway? (An import no less!)
Mystery Science Theatre 3000
The Drew Carey Show (Drew and crew are obviously fans of English comedy)

And that's it...


Okay, rant over. Short version: England = cool. America = boring.

[psyjax]

What about:

Seinfelld
The Simpsons
Futurama

classic shows like:

The Honeymooners

[Master of Reality]

south park.
king of the hill
The Microsoft .NET show.

[Refalm]

quote:see the interview (Windows Media)
56k Modem | ISDN | Cable

What the fuck? I have to have Bill Gates' lame excuse for a media player on my computer to see an interview with Linus Torvalds?  :mad:

[EDIT]Yes, the inventor of Linux is called Linus Torvalds. He could spread Linux so easely because version 0.1 was e-mailed to all his computer loving friends at the Helsinki University.[/EDIT]

[ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: Refalm ]

[preacher]

quote:Originally posted by The Jimmy James:

Americans see absurd, bawdy, or insulting comedy as bad... why?

Are you kidding. Apparently you've never seen Jackass, Tom Green, Jamie Kennedy, these are some of the most absurd, bawdy and insulting shows around. Of course South Park is the best.

[rtgwbmsr]

quote:Originally posted by Refalm:


What the fuck? I have to have Bill Gates' lame excuse for a media player on my computer to see an interview with Linux Torvalds?   :mad:  

Ain't that bizarre? They are running Apache on Linux according to Netcraft
http://www.netcraft.com/oldwhats/?host=bbcworld.com&Examine=Wait..

[voidmain]

Although I agree in that they made a seriously poor choice of video format and in order to "click" your way through their page to see the video you must have IE, but you can still view the movies in Linux (streamed from the servers). Here's how I did it:

Code: [Select]

You could also enter the URL in gmplayer's "open URL" option. If you don't have mplayer installed go get it, it can play all the M$ and other proprietary formats.

Or just click on the above link if you have your browser configured to open asx files with a capable player.

[ October 06, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[zooloo]

quote:Originally posted by Refalm:

What the fuck? I have to have Bill Gates' lame excuse for a media player on my computer to see an interview with Linux Torvalds?  

No, they do RealMedia too.

The BBC got slapped for just doing the MS thing.

I think they are looking at Vorbis for sound because of MP3 royalties.

To the left were 2 more "Linux links".

Anyway, I apologise on behalf of my country for the MS horror.

[zooloo]

I just read one of the links  -   http://bbcworld.com/content/template_clickonline.asp?pageid=666&co_pageid=2

er... I think he likes Linux.

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by zooloo:


No, they do RealMedia too.

Hey, whadya know.. I had to increase my font size to notice it but you are right. I can play either format on my Linux box. The RealMedia format actually works directly in Mozilla/Linux if you have rp8 installed.

 

quote:Anyway, I apologise on behalf of my country for the MS horror.

 

[ October 06, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[Master of Reality]

quote:Originally posted by Refalm:


What the fuck? I have to have Bill Gates' lame excuse for a media player on my computer to see an interview with Linux Torvalds?   :mad:  

who is "Linux Torvalds"?
I believe you mean "Linus"

[Master of Reality]

quote:Originally posted by The Jimmy James:
English people not funny? Where do people get that idea?

Monty Python
Mr. Bean
Black Adder
Are You Being Served?
Red Dwarf
Waiting For God

And likely hundreds of others that I've not seen. English humor (or humour) I feel is superior to Americans' idea of comedy.

Whereas our worthless sitcoms have become diluted to the point of being a bunch of cloned shows, the British just get more absurd... which is GOOD.

Americans see absurd, bawdy, or insulting comedy as bad... why? Because Americans have been sold the "products" that American TV sells. Oh, and nearly everything on American TV sucks.

American shows that are/were funny

Who's Line Is It Anyway? (An import no less!)
Mystery Science Theatre 3000
The Drew Carey Show (Drew and crew are obviously fans of English comedy)

And that's it...


Okay, rant over. Short version: England = cool. America = boring.

Ha america has the ]most absurd, bawdy, and insulting comedy ever!!

and wasnt "whos line is it anyway" orignially from europe somewhere???? Fucking Drew Carey sux as its fucking host now. But Clive Anderson ruled. The old "whos line is it anyway" is the only one i will watch (it is played on the Candian "Comedy Network")