So. How does one go about starting a tea party? No, this is not against any kind of government tax, or anything. I just feel it is time for a tea party against the giants of the IT industry. Especially the one that force people into using specific products because they have closed door deals with the second corporation (*cough* Microsoft). I feel it is time for the consumers to start to wake and realize that they have lost power to the major corporations. When you buy an OS from Microsoft (for example) Section 8 of the Vista EULA states:
The software is licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some right to use the software.
Excuse me? Only some rights to the software I bought and paid for? That is so nice. I'm glad my car manufacture didn't add that to their cars. It would be stupid to sell a car where you only have some rights to it. But we as consumers roll over and accept it from big corporations that sell software. Why?
We do it because we have always done it. We do it because the business types say we should. It is the only idea they understand. They don't understand that yes, you can get software that you own and can change. Instead of paying thousands of dollars on a useless product, you can take a free (as in speech) one and at least morph it to your own specifics. But because Microsoft does it this way, all software makers have decided (wrongly) that taking aways user's rights is the only way to make money.
I say we put our foot down and require more liberal terms of use. The GPL would be a good benchmark.
It's time for a tea party, my friends!

FAIL!: Microsoft to Charge DOUBLE in EU
Tea's served!

Alt Title: Boycott "Just Works"

Am I the only one on the planet who is tired of that saying? "I want it to 'Just Work'". That's great, buck-o. It is amazing people's reaction to computers. Just Works(TM). That is a load of BS. Windows doesn't "Just Work" 99% of the time, but people make excuses for it. Mac doesn't ever "Just Work" (zing :) ), for me at least. And guess, what? Linux doesn't "Just Work" a good bit either(more so than Windows, in my honest opinion, though). But becuaes people have this percived usability on Windows, so anything that doesn't "just work" like Windows scares the shit out of them. Just because you are used to it does not mean that it "just works". A monkey trained to climb a tree with a ladder doesn't mean that the ladder is the best way for it to climb the tree.
I, personally, don't want my computer to "just work". I want to fiddle, I want my computer to break so I fix it. I want to tinker and fiddle. And if you call yourself a computer geek, and you want everything to "just work", then you lose much respect in my eyes. The whole point of our existence is to fiddle and play. That is why we get jobs fixing other people's mistakes (remember, 99% of businesses are Windows only. They hire an army of techs to just support the platform. Yea, so much better than Linux[sarcasm]). I like fixing things, I like things to not "just work". I hate the "Just Works" argument, made by idiots and tech people who aren't much better.
So if you want your computer to "just work", try Linux. It does more often.


On a more not Linux related note, I think I am going to pick up the bass again. Maybe I won't suck as much this time (doubtful).

Stay free, stay Open Source.

Found this great little website. It has some good stuff on it, though it is kinda a bit over reaching and will go right over most people's heads. That is okay, though. I firmly believe that the OS end game is soon, within the decade. Who will come out, I have no idea. Hopefully Linux, but maybe not.
Anyway, I have been looking closely at the GnomeShell idea. Seems Interesting, but alot of the complaints about it are the overall uselessness of it. It is like they decided to go the KDE route (which I am currently running {will give you my feelings on that sooner or later}). Alot of flash and pizazz, but not much actual useful innovation. I think I might like the idea, or I might never use it. I was never one to use Multiple Desktops, so that has limited appeal to me, any way. A huge downer is that I would not be able to change panels (which you can't now, but eh). I like tint2, I just can't bring my self to use any of the *box's and I didn't like E17 all that much. I just wish gnome-session didn't require you to have a gnome-panel always running. I wanted to completely switch over to the tint2, and use gnome-do to open programs and folders (which I do anyway) but you have to have at least one gnome-panel running. Big time bummer.
I have finally gotten fed up with the Linux > Windows argument. I will no longer say my OS is better (it is) or that windows/mac sucks (they do). I will just continue using my OS and continue pursuing for more rights from vendors, but I will not "evangelize". I will ignore anyone spouting BS and I will chuckle under my breath every time I hear "I got a BSOD". but I will not push Linux. Though just a warning, this blog will continue to be on the subject of Linux unless I find something better to talk about.
It's time to become better than them. I refuse to act like a Second Class Citizen because the big companies want me to be one.
They can kiss Tux's ass.

Linux market share.
What a huge can of worms that is. It is anywhere from 2.02% to like 5% depending on the tide, planetary alignment, and the general state of the polar ice caps. I don't know what to believe, or if I should care. I know Linux has a much bigger server share (duh) than desktop share, but I am not sure how much of that share is ever truly known. I know some people say Linux is at about 60%(some not) in the server market, but that still puts it at like 15% of the total worldwide market.
The real question is why we should care at all.
I don't really care about adoption by the "masses". While maybe I can finally get a day off from fixing computers, I doubt more market share will help that at all. The only thing I want is more market share for hardware vendors to sit up and stop being retarded. If you ignored 2%~5% of your market in any other business, you would be out of business in no time flat, but, because this is computers (and PC's specifically), this is Bill's Land(tm). I just wish I wasn't shoved out in the cold because I prefer a different OS from the rest of the world. At the very least they could open their documentation. Come on. Broadcom and Synaptics (two known anti-Linux hardware companies(or at least have spotty support)) aren't the only game in town, so it is not like they have anything to lose. Let FLOSS developers do their magic.
So, on a related note, any software/hardware I buy from this time forward I will always shoot an email off to the company asking for Linux support. I ask anybody who agrees to follow suite, and anyone who disagrees to, well, have a nice day, I guess. The only thing they can do is say no. And you never know, we may change the world (cough, sorry, got choked up there).

Oh and buy from System76. The furry animals will love you or something like that.
I know I will for future laptops (I still build my own desktops).

New banner. Not sure what I think of it yet. Please comment your opinions. I have no idea what I was going for, by the way, so interpret it the way you want.