[OT] Re: Creating Excel files on Linux

[Maan M. Hamze]

Roman
I agree with you, and it is not my intention or my inclination to be put on
a side that hypes things.  Most of the software on my own PC is open source
software.
When I say realistic I mean the following:  we live in a society (at least
in the US) that is based on hype after all, and software is only one
indication of the hype that surrounds everything.  I have run into many that
attack Microsoft to only sing the praises of Sun.  Even many tools that run
on Linux are getting to be hyped.  I was by the way one of the earliest
adapters of Linux.  So, I believe we are talking about the same thing but in
different terms.  And we are in agreement.
I personally dislike the commercial hype of software and I use open source
software.  But when it comes to my work I just have to survive in a
marketplace that is based on hype and buzzwords.  If a manager wants to use
.NET (whatever the hell .NET is) then I have to look at it and ensure that
our processes will run fine with the new technology.
Maan

"Roman Suzi" <rnd at onego.ru> wrote in message
news:mailman.999884530.6996.python-list at python.org...
> On Fri, 7 Sep 2001, Maan M. Hamze wrote:
>
> >>    But again, am I free not to deal with this world?
> >
> >Yes, you are free not to deal with it.  But it depends on what world you
are
> >living in.  I am not defending Microsoft here, but I am being realistic.
>
> I've heard that realistic ~= pessimist.
>
> MIcrosoft "invented" .NET and now everybody who is "realistic"
> adopts is as fast as possible or at least learn what that mean.
>
> IT industry is drived by hypes and not technical merits. Yes, ordinary
> user doesn't know what "operating system" is unless reminded about the
> "clouds" at startup. And THIS is realistic.
>
> I share the views of Oleg but I feel "realistic" about this too. I can't
> change the world. I must live with all those stupid MS Office documents in
> my mailbox and ohs of my collegues having fun while their system goes
> down.
>
> >In the same way, an open platform is a MYTH.
>
> Oh, no! Open doesn't mean "free of charge". Windows NT is also
> open (to some extent unless MS lied).
>
> Linux and Python ARE open. What myth are they? Probably you've meant that
> sincerity of large corporations regarding open platforms is a myth. I
> agree. I do not believe them. And this doesn't make me feel bad.
>
> >Larry Anderson of Oracle likes
> >to talk about this while he flies his own jet looking down on everything.
> >Sun talks of open platform because they want their Java to be the
standard
> >that runs........on their very own machines.  Mark Andressen (sp?) talked
of
> >the ever present CORBA on every server.  Is not that a covered talk of
> >monopolies too?
> >We live in a world of arrogant men and greedy corporations, and they play
> >with concepts of the open platform.
>
> May be they are playing. But if laws have any effect, they leave
> good things in open space too.
>
> >As far as I am concerned, getting a job done is the issue here.  Anyone
can
> >learn VBA during a lunch hour.  This is what I call empowerment for
people
> >who got to work for a living, not to philosophize about the open platform
> >myth where people do not know what language they are using.
>
> And what about those who want to work not only for living but
> being interested in the process itself?
>
> Sincerely yours, Roman Suzi
> --
> _/ Russia _/ Karelia _/ Petrozavodsk _/ rnd at onego.ru _/
> _/ Friday, September 07, 2001 _/ Powered by Linux RedHat 6.2 _/
> _/ "Dreams are free, but you get soaked on the connect time." _/
>
>