[Linux-aus] [Osia-discuss] If you could ask Microsoft a question...

[Jiri Baum]

Hello,

Jiri Baum:
> > Unfortunately, this will not mitigate any of the likely harms to come out
> > of it, so it'd be a rather pointless gesture.

Jeff Waugh:
> Please document the potential "harms" instead of talking about them in the
> abstract.

They were discussed in more detail elsewhere on this thread. The most likely 
ones, I think, are (a) some press dude comes along and says "Wow, those 
freetards sure treated Microsoft badly", or (b) they come in, dodge any hard 
questions and walk out again amicably, giving us nothing and gaining some 
minor measure of goodwill for themselves. Neither of these is mitigated by 
boycotting the event; at most, (a) might become "Wow, those freetards sure 
treated Microsoft badly by not even turning up", ensuring (b) by default.

> > Your phrasing also underscores that they are, in fact, gaining "some
> > measure of discord among us", as I wrote earlier.

> Ah, so because I think you're behaving like an intolerant zealot, Microsoft
> wins? 

It was your suggestion of autoeroticism I had in mind.

> Let us construct a reality in which we cannot possibly win, so that we may
> win against this tyrant! Then we will surely-- hrm, what were we doing
> again? 

Where possible, choosing the course of action that will result in a net 
benefit or minimise the net loss. That includes realistically assessing what 
benefits (or otherwise) we might gain from this event and cancelling it if 
the balance speaks against it.

[from another post on the same thread]
> > > The venue is unlikely to provoke a PR earthquake for anyone involved.

> > Agreed. Though if we could swing it, it'd be neat :-)

> Wow. So, you'd like to be as grubby as you've suggested they are? Classy.

Well, you were the one with the "lion's mouth" imagery. You can hardly blame 
me if I then ask for lions...

Besides, what possible positive outcome would one expect from a Q&A session? 
The only one I can think of would be if some of the answers or evasions were 
notable and newsworthy.

Jiri
-- 
Jiri Baum <jiri at baum.com.au>                   http://www.baum.com.au/~jiri