[Linux-aus] [Osia-discuss] Re: If you could ask Microsoft a question, what would it be?

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Jiri Baum">

> When engaging an opponent who is cunning

8< snip 8<

> it behooves one to proceed with caution.

OK: Let's wear floaties! Seriously, it's a few Microsoft people at a LUG. It
is not national television. About the worst that could happen is that some
press dude comes along and says "Wow, those freetards sure treated Microsoft
badly". I don't think most LUG leaders would let that happen anyway.

> Which begets the question, is this session is likely to achieve anything 
> useful? I cannot see it.

Practically? No. But there are plenty of impractical and possibly pointless
things you can (and should) do in order to build a bridge. The culture and
politics of disengagement is ugly and foolish.

> If so, perhaps professionals should be asking the questions and follow-up
> questions, not random geeks.

Oh. Real nice. To both the professionals *and* geeks who go to LUG events.

> Otherwise, we're likely to get the kind of answers that say nothing, at
> best, and re-frame the debate in Microsoft's terms or otherwise mislead,
> at worst.

... and yet they're still at a LUG meeting. So, fat load of good it will do
for them anyway. Seriously... Microsoft is going to successfully re-frame
the debate in their terms at a *LUG* meeting? Maybe your LUG is less unruly
and more polite than mine.

> BTW, since you mention OOXML in particular and standards in general, last
> I heard OOXML is still being merrily railroaded through the ISO and
> Microsoft is explicitly refusing to commit to following it, even if it
> does pass. I don't think any question we ask would change any aspect of
> that situation.

So why have that expectation or benchmark at all?

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2008: Melbourne, Australia        http://lca2008.linux.org.au/
 
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