The Most Powerful Labor Union in the World: Linux?
"For the purpose of this column I'm going to use the word "Linux" to refer to the group of people who support it and the open-source initiatives that surround it."
Im not sure why he chose "Linux" as the term to group the FOSS community... is it just to ride on Linux's current popularity, and say something controversial thus getting more web hits? Say it as it is. Its a community.
"SCO has experienced massive Denial of Service attacks, the company's customer base has been inundated, their funding sources have been strangled, their executive leadership has been threatened, and their ability to function has been almost completely eliminated."
The DOS Attacks were clearly not the work of the FOSS community, but a bunch of extortionists who do that for a living. See this article, first page, 60% down. How a Bookmaker and a Whiz Kid Took On an Extortionist — and Won. SCO's customer base dwindled because SCO themselves are sueing their own customers! Its an immediate turn off, if you ask me. No Customer = No Funding. And all this because of bad leadership in the first place. Somehow Enderle is blaming the FOSS community for chosing SCO's management? I dont understand. He must be getting it all wrong.
Next he talks about Maureen O'Gara and how now she is the victim of her own doings because of the pressures from the "Linux" lynch mob.
"In it O'Gara implied, but did not prove, that PJ worked for IBM, and in building her incomplete case she did create a powerful argument suggesting PJ wasn't really who she appeared to be."
"Powerful argument suggesting ..." doesnt mean "Ethically Correct", "Intellectual" nor "Factually Right". It means its just tabloid trash.
Then he goes on to blame the demise of LinuxWorld due to the "Linux" mob. The last time I read about this, it was the ethical standards of the editors themselves which made them decide to resign. Not because of the "Linux" mob, nor is it because of the extra hits their publication gets, but because they felt disgusted that their publication stood by a trash talker. And if anyone had a sense of responsibility, they should too. Obviously Rob doesnt.
Then he tries to thread all his arguments in his conclusion:
1) Linux community is like a Union.
2) Unions and organized crime are (historically) interchangeable,
3) Therefore the "Linux" community are the new mob.
A Fallacy if there isnt any... Go figure.
