Archive for September, 2007

Ok Microsoft I’m Calling You Out!

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Ok Microsoft I’m Calling You Out!

First of all I just recognized your scheme, my question is how long have you been doing this? First I noticed that you released a Virus for the Windows XP OS https://nixedblog.thenixedreport.com/?p=79 to try to get people to move to Vista, now people report that when they update their XBOX 360s their old games like gears of war either won’t work or give them a Red Ring of Death. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-gQq62Hyc The question isn’t if you are trying to make your customers want to use your new products over old ones it’s why you feel you have to sabotage your old products to encourage use of the new ones.

Microsoft Admits Halo 3 Caused Xbox Live Glitches

Microsoft you should be put in jail for your crimes against your customers. I have had customers who had Windows XP Pro installed on their computers and after you sent out your Virus I could not do the updates after a repair install. Not only did I loose a customer because they thought I was incompetent because I was unable to fix the problem because I was unaware of the solution at the time but I have also lost my faith in your company all together. You like to get users to agree to having their computers spied on when they click I agree and install Vista. My question to Microsoft is why should we trust you?

I await your response.

Microsoft’s Response will be shown here.

I got a responce and replied to it.


“Peter” wrote:

> The ‘stealth updates” were updating the “Windows Updater” that’s all, pure
> and simple, and blown out of all proportion mainly by the Windows
> haters/Linux freaks and media that needed something to bite on.

I agree they updated the windows updater and caused an error so that any
time you do a System Repair on an XP install you can’t download any updates
and the stealth updates were done without permission. I have seen this happen
on my customers computers as well. Whenever I try to do a repair and do
updates it won’t work after the stealth update. You are forced to use ZDnet’s
Windows Virus removal instructions to remove this Virus.

> The six month extension is because retailers demanded that XP OEM
> availability be extended as people still wanted it. (Note it referred to
> OEM only)

Right because Users are tired of being forced to use Vista.

> XP still has plenty of time left in its life cycle.

Thats right XP is ok. It’s not the best OS out there but it is much much
better than Vista for several reasons: drivers, compatibility, stability just
to name a few. The only advantage Vista has as an OS is that if you don’t
install any Microsoft software on it or use any Microsoft software on it and
use all open source you don’t get viruses. Programs like Microsoft outlook or
Live Mail get viruses. MSN Explorer gets viruses. Internet Exploder gets
viruses. So as long as you stay away from these apps and even Office 2007
your fine. Thats the improvement. Vista is still too slow and I don’t like
being spied on. Being spied on slows down my PC as well. I understand
Microsoft wanting to make sure I’m not using any pirated software but by
monitoring my computer all the time they are crazy.

> I use both systems quite happily and have no problems with either one.

Oh well I guess you are lucky.

A report on Ubuntu LoCo. 09/28/07

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Ok everyone it’s me again Justin Breithaupt, usacomputertec, Pomeroylab or whatever name you may call me. I wanted to start a free Linux computer lab in Pomeroy WA. Ubuntu seemed like a good OS to choose at the time. However I also perused other distros and found that most of my customers preferred PCLinuxOS over Ubuntu. So I figured my primary OS would be PCLinuxOS but that Ubuntu would also be shown and discussed as a solution. I sat up a LoCo web page wiki.ubuntu.com/WA-Pomeroy which is still there unless they have removed it.

One reason to start a LoCo where I am? Well see for yourself.

Here is where I am http://www.listphile.com/Linux/World_Wide_Lab_Linux_Computer_Lab

I first started receiving bad letters in regards to my efforts about a week ago. People started telling me that I was a LUG and not a LoCo. Others said it was just fine. So finally I sent a message out to all of them and you will see the responses I got below.

My original Message:

I have an alternative to what LoCo could be. It’s my understanding that to be truly LoCo you have to only run Ubuntu and only teach Ubuntu. Thats what people keep telling me. They keep telling me this is why I’m not LoCo. This is not an open idea at all but rather a closed minded idea.

I believe that LoCo should be a positive open minded community that allows all distros to be taught and also can teach about other subjects like Hardware, repair, programming, and other computer related stuff. If we are to restricted then LoCo will just be a place to learn about Ubuntu and nothing else. Is that what we want? Thats like saying we need to build a school to teach about Math and another for English, and another for Science, and another for Geography but why? I’m very confused as to how this idea of thinking will help you in the long hall. Sure it’s nice for Ubuntu if they can dominate all distros and make sure computer manufacturers only sell Ubuntu so that Ubuntu tech supports can be more effective but at the cost of other education? Believe it or not there are things that other Distros can do that Ubuntu can’t. You can’t force one Distro on everyone. Even the head LoCo guy in WA state could not install the programs I mentioned and get them to work on Ubuntu. I had to resort to other Distros for that. I’m not discouraging the Ubuntu project I just think that LoCo should be “OPEN” to other distros like “OPEN SOURCE” “FREEDOM OF CHOICE”. These things can’t be limited or we are in violation of the GPL’s original intent.

I’m talking with LUGs and LoCos around my area about a Linux Fest and advertising all the places you can learn about Linux so people will know where to go not just LUGs or LoCos. The question is if we try to advertise you will you intern play nice and allow LUGs to join your organization or will you be exclusive and exclude everyone else? This will make a big difference in how we approach advertising different places to learn Linux. I await the LoCo community’s response.

And I got a few responses.

My team is for advocacy of free software, open formats and the spread
of information of any kind. We use ubuntu as the best tool for the job
because it's the simplest, most well known and easiest so far. And
we've got a much better chance of improving peoples computer
experiences with ubuntu.

Now if someone came to the installfest and wanted to install SuSE I'm
sure someone would help them install it, not me though I've tried too
many times to install SuSE right and I don't find the experience fun.
But that's just me I won't restrict anyone from installing or helping
other people install what ever they want.

Now if someone wanted to put up posters for Mandriva or PCLinuxOS then
we'd need to sit down and talk about direction because ultimately the
team is only powerful when we are all pushing in the same direction
and marketing is one of those things that you fail at if you release
too many marketing messages at once.

It sounds like you've met some real jerks in the past, lets hope no
one is like that in the future.

Best Regards, Martin Owens
Hi,

A LoCo Team is an Ubuntu team and as such is naturally dedicated
mainly to Ubuntu. If you want a more general group, that's why LUGs
exist.

I don't understand where you see the problem. There should be LUGs
where people using all distributions get together, but there also need
to be teams specific to a single distribution, that can provide good
and precise support for it, actuate on events related to it, and
promote not only that particular distributions but also Free Software
in general. Their are not exclusive but rather should work together;
there may even be (and there are) people that participate in both, a 
LoCo and a LUG.

And about your last paragraph, I'm not sure if I understand it at all, 
but I see nothing against that a LoCo team could organize an event
together with a LUG or the community of another distribution. Actually, 
the Catalan LoCo for example is going to celebrate the
release of Ubuntu's the next version (Gutsy) inside -and partially
sponsored by- a LAN Party, that has nothing to do with Ubuntu. You can perfectly 
be in a LoCo if you use both, Ubuntu and another (or
more) distribution(s) of your choice, only that you should have some 
understanding about Ubunt and when you are actuating as a LoCo member
you shouldn't be telling people to use that other distribution instead
of Ubuntu :P, but be promoting Ubuntu.

But of course if you know someone who uses another X distribution and
needs help with something you are free and encouraged to help him with
it.

Being a member of a LoCo team doesn't mean that you are a
"Ubuntu-only" guy, but rather that you really like Ubuntu (but might
also like other distros), and that you want to help it's users and see
it's community and user base growing.
Yes, please ignore my messages, Marin Owens' is actually much clearer
(I had not seen it before otherwise I wouldn't have answered again).

About that points you say, some of them might be solved for you using
 Kubuntu.

Also I'd like to know when you last checked Ubuntu. Installation has
improved a lot, specially this last releases. If it's much time ago
you'd probably like to have a look at it again (in this case the best
would be to wait for Gutsy to be released, the 18th October).

Regards,

Siegfried-Angel Gevatter Pujals (RainCT)

Linux User #438657. Ubuntu User #11680.

I made a response somewhere in this time period and here it is:

I know they keep improving Ubuntu and releasing it and every time I download it and try it. It's a good system for the people who like it and yes there are customers that prefer it. The point I'm trying to make is it will always be Debian and it's abilities to install software restricted to the Debian base. Ubuntu needs better compilers so it can adapt to non Debian programs. They also need an interface like is in Ubuntu Christian Edition which is what my pastor uses. I installed it on a new computer for him before I knew about PCLinuxOS. It still runs great but the e-sword or gnome-sword app has it's issues. Chock another one up for PCLinuxOS who's gnome-sword works just fine. Not sure why this is. I think if I remember correctly the defendguin game does not work in PCLinuxOS but thats trivial since most people don't have a computer just to play that game. I wish it would work.

Please refer to Martin's message, now that I read mine again I see
they are somewhat confusing..
Of course, isn't that what we all want? Every single person that
switches to Free Software is a steep forward, without having much
importance to what exactly (s)he switches.

The point is just that if you are on a Ubuntu LoCo it's because you
personally thing that Ubuntu is a good way to let people know Free
Software, as Martin explained. As well as if you join a user team of
any other distribution it's because you thing that this other
distribution is better for the same objective, or as if you don't
really matter about distributions but just want to promote it in a
more general manner, then you'd probably go for a LUG.

-- 
Siegfried-Angel Gevatter Pujals (RainCT)
Linux User #438657. Ubuntu User #11680. Simple, a LoCo is a local community team. Whether it is Ubuntu, Fedora,
 SUSE,  Microsoft, or Apple, it is about THAT community.

If you want to preach and teach all open source and all of the distros,
 then 
you are interested in a LUG. An Ubuntu LoCo team should push everything
 
*buntu, as well as open source. It is fine to let others know of other 
distros, but the main priority of an Ubuntu LoCo is the local advocacy
 of 
*buntu. This isn't to say if the chance arises, you should avoid going
 out of 
the way to help someone with something that isn't *buntu.

-- 
Richard A. Johnson
nixternal@ubuntu.com
GPG Key: 0x2E2C0124
Nice.

Anyways, I don't think a discussion about on what Ubuntu and on what
PCLinuxOS is better has anything to do on this list, that is intended
to be rather low traffic list about important LoCo related stuff. Perhaps a thread on Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/) would be
more appropriate. The focus and definition is different, a LUG is a _user_ group, a LoCo
is an advocacy group; they have very different memes and quite
different events. A LUG will just sit there and server it's members,
it will put energy into getting people to join the group (LUG) where as a LoCo should not be putting effort into getting people to join
their LoCo, they should be putting all energy into promoting Ubuntu or what ever it is because LoCo members will drop out of the expanding
user base.

The difference is that one cares about existing users and one cares
about new users; each has members which can be shared but the actions
expected and taken by those users are different; I don't expect normal
users to join my LoCo unless they want to help out in some way.

Best Regards, Martin Owens Bingo!  *Perfect* definition.  I haven't heard it said or seen it
written better.  Well done.
                       _
Aaron Toponce         ( )  ASCII Ribbon Campaign www.aarontoponce.org   X   www.asciiribbon.org
                      / 

I think this conversation is an irrelevant debate. if you want to join an Ubuntu-LoCo and push another OS that seems just silly. If you have an active LUG in your area then work with them or start a local group to accomplish what you wish. The Ubuntu LoCo’s do spread the word about OSS and do help others out but their main focus is spreading the word about and supporting Ubuntu. I think pushing another OS with Ubuntu’s resources would not be good. I joined Ubuntu-LoCo because I loved Ubuntu and wanted to support it. I am also involved with the area LUG as are some of the other LoCo members and I represent Ubuntu there as well.
Remember it’s not a LoCo Group it is an UBUNTU LoCo group.

So in conclusion to all of this Ubuntu does not want to share resources. They only want to push Ubuntu. Another words all LUGS that want to push other distros are excluded from the LoCo community. Unless of course you listen to be a LUG that primarily supports Ubuntu. I’m not sure I want to join the Ubuntu Federation with one mind and one voice that is a closed mind. That just my opinion.

Update got another reply from someone who evedently does not know who I am.

Um no I have a group of people here in Pomeroy that meet and learn about Linux from me. I am the group leader.

Anthony Yarusso <tonyyarusso@comcast.net> wrote:

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–
Hash: SHA1

Pomeroy Lab wrote:

> Ok then by that definition I’m probably a LUG because I promote
> everything.

Actually, that’s not true. either. What was said about the difference
between LUGs and Ubuntu Local Community Teams is all true. However,
you are neither. A LoCo is what I just said, an Ubuntu Local
Community *TEAM*. A LUG is a Linux User *GROUP*. You are an
individual. Individuals are members of LoCos and LUGs and are what
make them what they are, but in no case can an individual BE either of
these organizations, or even the primary force behind one.
Individuals of course can do some similar activities as the groups
might organize, and will do their own advocacy on the side, but that
is not the same as acting or being recognized as a LoCo or a LUG.
I’ve noticed “I” being used a few times in your communications, and
just wanted to make sure that was completely clear before we continue
this discussion further. If what you really meant was “hey, I do this
kind of advocacy; how can I get involved?”, then you should definitely
be looking into being an individual member of bother the Washington
state LoCo (for when your activities revolve around Ubuntu) and the
nearest LUG (for everything else). Regardless, good luck and best
wishes in your advocacy efforts!

– – Tony Yarusso
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Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux)

Another Update Ubuntu is talking about forming a LoCo council and accepting donations.

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Jono Bacon wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> One of the things I have discussed for a while is the idea of a LoCo
> Teams Council - this will be a council to help govern and run the
 LoCo
> community as a whole. The aim of the council will be to:
> 
>  * provide a governing body that people can take decisions on the
 wider
> LoCo community, and be representative of that community.
>  * approve / reject resource requests, removing the bottlenecks that
 we
> have experienced recently.
>  * a place for teams to take conflict issues to.
>  * a forum in which the future plans and direction of the project can
 be
> discussed and debated.
> I have written up a document outlining the functions of the council
 at
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeams/LoCoCouncil - it is largely derived
> from the Forums/IRC councils in how core chunks work.
> 
> Please head over and read it and post comments in this thread - don't
> edit the page directly, this way I can merge in the changes.
> 
> 	Jono

It appears I lost the message about the donations but I will try to get another one shortly.

HOLY [MACROL]!

Friday, September 28th, 2007

Almost did the special characters again, but…. take a look at this and you’ll see why I almost did.  I know there are those who are turned off by politics, but this person is not your ordinary dark horse.  You see, this individual is raising money faster than expected.  The goal for this quarter was to raise $500,000.  With a mere few days away, the Ron Paul campaign has decided to up the anty so to speak… to $1 Million!

Keep an eye on this person.  That’s all for now.

Microsoft Released A Virus! It’s in Your Computer!

Friday, September 28th, 2007

This article is based on information that is provided by many diffrent sources but was first discovered by ZDnet as far as we know.  This is why I am using ZDnet as my primary source.

Microsoft has sent out a Virus to all XP and Vista computers but it only has a negative effect on XP computers. The idea of this virus (assuming it was constructed on purpose) is to make people want to use Vista by making it almost impossible for Techs like myself to fix an XP computer. Wait just a minute you say. Justin is telling me that Microsoft sent out a Virus and it’s on my PC? Yes that is correct. What is the definition of a computer virus?

definition of a computer virus

noun

A computer program that is designed to replicate itself by copying itself into the other programs stored in a computer. It may be benign or have a negative effect, such as causing a program to operate incorrectly or corrupting a computer’s memory.

But does this program from Microsoft actually do this? YES! it may or may not be designed to but it does.
It replicates itself by copying itself into the other programs stored in a computer from the Microsoft server. It does have a negative effect which results in you not being able to do windows updates after trying to repair a Windows XP computer effectively making the customer want to use Vista since it is not affected by this problem yet. It does corrupt the computer’s memory with a bad version of the normal functioning program. So yes it’s a Virus. And you did get it without asking for it.

So how to get rid of it? Click Here http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=817

UPDATED STORY 09/28/07

Further proof that Microsoft has a motive to stop XP from selling. http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=759 

By the way there is also proof that Microsoft Fix it tools don’t actually work in XP. http://nl.com.com/view_online_newsletter.jsp?list_id=e550 

If you are like me and you don’t trust Microsoft any more you can  contact me and let me know if you need to get rid of Microsoft products on your PC and use a superior system made by the people for the people.

Lewis Clark Linux Fest is a First in Lewiston Idaho!

Friday, September 28th, 2007

Click Here for Lewis Clark Linux Fest Full details.

I have colaborated with some fine individuals to start a Linux Fest in Lewiston Idaho.

We need to get a forum up. I have one here. http://wapomeroy.myfreeforum.org/forum5.php

There. That should be plenty good a place to do our thing. Let me know if it is not.

The Codec (Non)Delima

Thursday, September 27th, 2007

I visit LXer, linux.com, and linux.org on a regular basis as well as the blog of helios.  I get some the best insight into news and updates pertaining to FOSS.  Today, I want to address the concerns of this blog post here.  They are legitimate.  After all, why should people be punished for trying to promote their product as an alternative to their competitor, especially since said competitor has been accused of using extortionist tactics?

The Boycott Novell’s own Roy Schestowitz has asked why Red Hat needs to be buying codec licenses from Microsoft.  Good question.  However, this is not a real delima, because there are already existing codecs that can be used: Vorbis and Theora.  The main issue right now is to getting these codecs and others more widely adopted.  Having Matroska as a container format wouldn’t be a bad idea either.  There are plenty of users of operating systems that utilize the Linux kernel or a BSD-based kernel.  How many of them are using iPods due to popularity?  How many would purchase a device to play OGG files or Matroska files if the device had more capacity, better connectivity options, and was cheaper?  That’s what needs to happen: Use of said codecs and multimedia containers in addition to devices that support the aforementioned.

So what if the devices in question don’t exist?  Make them of course, and no, there is nothing wrong with marketing and selling said devices, especially since said technology is available on multiple platforms anyway.  The issue isn’t the codecs: it’s how to use the ones that are already available in an effective manner.

If you use Vista or XP you should read this!

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

If you use Vista or XP you should read this by clicking here!

An Expansion of the Previous Post.

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

I’d like to expand on the previous post that I made.  Justin and I had a back and forth e-mail discussion.  MySpace came up in the discussion, and I informed him that I was…. let’s just say leery of MySpace, because it is owned by NewsCorp.  Not only that, there has been censorship going on pertaining to certain… let’s just say “socially unacceptable topics.”

However, after that, he pointed out that there was going to always be things that he and I would disagree on with other people and groups.  He suggested that I not shut others out, which is understandable.  I see him getting shut out by those who do not understand the path that he has chosen to live, and I have a personal problem with people who are supposedly open minded doing the same garbage that other tyrannical religious groups in the past have done in order to force people into living their way.  A dangerous precedent is being set in my view in which any form of Christianity is seen as the plague and must be purged from this planet.  Since there was one bad experience or two or three, all Christians must therefore be bad and be destroyed.  How is that any different than the Catholic Church telling women what they can and can not do with their lives?  News Flash: It isn’t!

Now before anyone makes any assumptions about me and whatever faith I have, a misconception needs to be cleared up in advance: I’m not a Christian.  Read that again.  I am not a Christian.  It was my choice earlier in my life, and it upsets me that there are others out there who want to stomp on people who make the choices to live as a Protestant, a Lutheran, a Catholic, a Jew, a Muslim, Wiccan, or any other faith not listed here.  It’s the same reason why I don’t own any guns but I agree with the 2nd Amendment.  You see, I made that choice, so what right do I have to take that choice away from others?  I don’t.   For those who are curious, I am a Discordian (and yes, I eat a hotdog every Friday).  Look it up!

Being open and free is a two way street.  That’s how it works.  If one side is open minded, and the other side is only “open minded” (meaning that as long as it doesn’t involve one group… and it can apply to those who are not Christian per se or Jewish or Muslim for that matter).  Look, I understand that there were those who were persecuted for their faith/spirituality not matching the majority community which just happened to be Christian.  I get it.  I feel that pain, but why must you turn around and persecute the ones who had nothing to do with contributing to your suffering in the first place?  Why must you remain bitter for the rest of your life?  Why?  I’m not Christian, and I’m not bitter about it.

So for those who are promoting FOSS, there is one important lesson: Don’t shut others out, even if they do not always do things you agree with.  It will only cause your movement and ideals to fail in the end.  And fail miserably indeed.  When I grew up in the 8th Grade in Leeton, I was scorned for declaring I was not a Christian.  By my sophomore year in high school, everyone else figured out that I was no threat to their way of life and they left me alone.

Justin and I will be coming up with new methods of promotion for THE *NIXED REPORT and other things that we do.  Get prepared everyone, for things are going to get interesting….

A Confession of Sorts and Why Elitism is Never a Good Thing

Tuesday, September 25th, 2007

So I am now doing this thing where I am writing about FOSS and I’m loving it.  I have changed so much over the years, and I like it.  It feels like only yesterday since I tried Mandrake 8 and found out that I just wasn’t ready to go away from Windows.  I acted like such a know-it-all though and I was often chewed out for talking down to people, especially my own sister.  This brings me to today’s topic: Elitism.

It’s quite a simple concept: acting like you’re above everyone else for whatever reason.  I’ve run into this once earlier this year, and I was irritated to no end.  The individual in question accused others of telling the entire community what to do, yet they didn’t like how some distributions of Operating Systems that utilize the Linux kernel were apparently easy for Windows migrants.  Because Ubuntu was not geeky enough for them, they had a problem with it.  One person had it right when they accused him of being an elitist in my opinion.  So why do I have such a problem with those who act elite, and openly say they are a computer god?  You see, I once had the same problem myself.

I won’t pretend that I have completely overcome that personal flaw of mine.  It resurfaces from time to time.  The problem of elitism, or acting like you are above everyone else and they must revere you as an authority no matter what, or something to that effect, is that such behavior can drive everyone else away from FOSS itself.  When talking about the terminal window or terminal itself or bash, you will begin to lose a beginner user of systems that run the Linux kernel as their eyes glaze over in confusion.

You see, a lot of people do not care about Freedoms 0-3.  They don’t.  They simply want something that works.  Period.  End of subject.  Sure, they can appreciate freedom after the fact, especially when they realize that they can copy and pass around CD’s that they have made copies of without being a software pirate.  Do you see where I’m going with this yet?

If we are going to talk about spreading the word of FOSS, we can’t continually talk down to other people, not even fellow colleagues or those who agree with  the use of FOSS.  Also, we can not dictate to one another what is and is not appropriate methods of promotion.  We all have our ways of promoting things, and if one does not suit you, there are always others.  You can create your own too.  So please, enough of the elitism already.  We’re all in this together.  Let’s help one another instead of hurt one another.

We Have a New Writer!

Sunday, September 23rd, 2007

That’s right!  I have decided to try and get more people writing for this blog so that many topics of many varieties can be discussed.  So without further ado, here is the new author: HELIOS!

Yes, the same helios who runs this blog.  He has been an advocate for Linux-based Operating Systems for the past three years.  Through his adventures, he has encountered many interesting individuals and has a multitude of talent.

It was through doing research for this article for the first issue of the online magazine that I first encountered this high caliber person.  This guy spends his spare time watching baseball with his buddies while putting computers together for needy school children.