LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Brian Astill <bastill@sa.apana.org.au>
  To  : LinuxSA <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 12:47:17 +0930

Re: BPA & 100mb / Day Limit

On Tue, 05 Jun 2001, Alan Kennington wrote:
<snip>
> The sooner the clever/stupid "business strategists" are replaced
> with sensible engineering types, the better.
> 
> The good thing about linux and open source is that it attempts
> to obliterate the concept of intellectual property monopoly.
> In fact, this isn't a communist plot. It's an anti-communist plot,
> because capitalism is supposed to be about free competition,
> and communism was supposed to be monopoly by the state.
> But virtually every internet venture now just thinks about
> getting a monopoly. And a private monopoly is even worse than
> a government monopoly. At least we can vote the govt monopoly out.
<more snip>

Alan,
You a guilty of the classic self-deception.
You think everyone is a bright as you are.
News of the Day:  They aren't!

On this list, the level of intellectual ability is a LOT higher than
most other groups of people.  Just consider what is required of them in
their pursuit of their chosen hobby or profession.
You mix daily with people like this.  You naturally think the whole
population is so blessed.  They aren't.

Look at some of our politicians.  Kevin Foley, Terry Cameron,  Diana
Laidlaw ....  this list of dimwits goes on and on.   Yet these are the
people who wield power.  (May God help us!)
Note that the more intelligent ones are sidelined or resign.  Bob Such,
Barry Jones and so on - a smaller but significant list.  You might want
to include the straightforward and more determined people like Peter
Lewis among those who are discarded for being too much trouble.

In commerce, power passes from ambitious hard-working and fairly bright
and hence become rich and successful person to nothing-like-as-bright or
energetic heir and thence to dimwitted grand-heir.  VERY few promote or
knowingly employ anyone clearly more intelligent than they are for fear
they might 'take advantage'.

So we have government by the uninformed and cannot-understand.

What we would prefer is an ethically upright meritocracy.  They would
all prefer *nix and M$ would go out of business.
Pigs might fly.

-- 
Regards,
Brian

********************************************************
Dr Brian Astill  Visiting Research Fellow
Flinders University Institute of International Education
Bus 8201 3480     FAX 8449 9199
bastill@sa.apana.org.au
********************************************************

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