News Comment This is a comment on news story: The worm that didn't turn up It's a reply to comment: He has a point there, but.... by: Ptah  It is sort of like conditioned response with the general public. They expect to use Windows, they are not educated in computers and know of no other alternative, they buy a PC at Best Buy and it comes with Windows, the mention of Macintosh elicits a response from most people of "I don't want to learn something new/different." The mention of Linux simply brings forth a puzzled expression on most faces and a "what's that?" question, followed by the same response they give the Mac. This is America today. As a British ex-patriot living in the Colonies (sorry, States) I find it difficult to accept the level of education (especially in computing) of the general public here. While in Europe Linux is making inroads into both business and personal computing, here in the States the general public seems to have "Microsoft tunnel vision." The mere thought of learning something new and better is anathema. Why is this? Does it have something to do with what has been called the "dumbing down of America?" I know many, many US born Americans who are bright, well educated and intelligent. However, it seems that "John Q. Public" has lost all interest in learning and growing as human beings. They accept everything fed to them by corporations, the media and their government. I sometimes find myself in the place of the fellow who wrote this article, giving the piteous nod and commiserating with people who run Windows and have problems. Unfortunately we, those who are lettered in computing, should not turn a deaf ear and blind eye toward this problem. We need to continue to evangelize open source and GNU/Linux. As an educator (I am employed by a Civil Rights educational center in rural Ohio) and a businessman (I also own a small used computer store) I cannot allow myself, nor should any of us, to fail in the task of at least attempting to help bring forth a better day in America. Cheers, George
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