Fascinating follow-up to Wednesday's story about the Linux advocate who posted a bitter diatrabe lamenting the ignorance of a teacher who confiscated a student's Linux disks and wrote a heartfelt (if misguided) letter insisting that giving away software must be illegal.
"Why did you throw me to the wolves like that?"And here's an interesting Twitter coda:
I didn't even have to think of the reply.
"I didn't throw you to the wolves Karen, I threw ignorance to the wolves. Let me ask you something. If I had not emailed you a link to my blog, would you have even known about this?"
Again she hesitated. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that if you didn't know I had written that blog, would you have known about all these comments? Has anyone called you or bothered you about this? Have your co-workers mentioned it?"
"Well...no."
"Then the wolves didn't touch you Karen. If I had included your last name or email address, then yes, you could ask me that question but as it stands, you are just a nameless school teacher that evoked a public response from me."
She didn't say anything for several seconds. When she did, it was a quiet and simple:
"Thank you". -- Blog of Helios
colleagues talked her into civil litigation for privacy violation, now on hold. Am installing Linux on her comp uter this Saturday.The story's not over yet, but I almost want to cue the "family sitcom closing theme music."
Leave a comment