[Discuss] [Fwd: [Cowlug] Radio Amateurs of Canada Discriminate against Linux]

[George Farris]

-------- Forwarded Message --------
> From: Robert Smits <bob at rsmits.ca>
> Reply-To: Cowichan Valley Linux Users group <cowlug at cowlug.org>
> To: CowLUG <cowlug at cowlug.org>
> Subject: [Cowlug] Radio Amateurs of Canada Discriminate against Linux
> Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:43:02 -0700
> 
> I know quite a few of us are also radio amateurs, and some of you may belong 
> to the Radio Amateurs of Canada. Today I received a letter from the RAC 
> urging me to complete a survey to get feedback on a restructuring (of the 
> Amateur Radio Service). The last line of the third paragraph asking us to do 
> this ends with, "Please use MS Internet Explorer for the survey."
> 
> I was profoundly disappointed with this suggestion by my national 
> organization. I have since written the following letter and emailed it to RAC 
> President Earle Smith at ve6nm at rac.ca  
> 
> You may wish to do something similar. My letter follows below.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Today I received a letter from the RAC urging me to complete a survey the 
> organization wants members to complete to get feedback on a restructuring (of 
> the Amateur Radio Service). The last line of the third paragraph asking us to 
> do this ends with, "Please use MS Internet Explorer for the survey."
> 
> I was profoundly disappointed with this suggestion by my national 
> organization. Earle, I have already taken the questionnaire and forwarded my 
> comments about restructuring. 
> 
> My comments, however, are about the suggestion made in the letter I received 
> that I need to use proprietary Microsoft software in order to access the 
> survey.
> 
> First, it's not necessary. Using Mozilla Firefox as my browser, and Linux SuSE 
> 10.1 as my operating system I found I could access both the English and 
> French versions of the survey without difficulty.
> 
> Second, it's downright disrespectful to ask people to use dangerous, bug 
> ridden and proprietary software to access something that should be available 
> to any member, regardless of what operating system he or she choose to use.
> 
> It's the equivalent of insisting you use a particular brand of radio to 
> transmit with to participate in amateur radio. Choice of your personal 
> computer's operating system is every bit as much a personal choice as 
> choosing what rig you operate, and I hope you take steps to become Operating 
> System independent in the future.
> 
> Robert Smits, VE7HS Life Member
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-- 
George Farris
farrisg at shaw.ca