In a recent Q&A with Matt Asay on Linux.Com, Mr. Asay says:
The desktop – including Apple’s – hasn’t materially changed in the past 10 years. Real innovation, therefore, is happening at the edges of the desktop: in the cloud (tying desktop software to server-based services), for example, but also in new form factors (which Linux is pioneering as much as Apple with its iPad) and in new experiences (like “instant-on” technology like Ubuntu’s WebNow or DeviceVM).
I do try to keep up, but this is the first I’ve heard of “WebNow”. Is this an Ubuntu or Canonical initiative?
As a side note, although I expressed strong reservations when Mr. Asay was named Canonical COO, I haven’t heard anything from him yet that I find objectionable.
I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, actually.
#1 by Jeff Gehlbach on March 16, 2010 - 8:08 pm
> As a side note, although I expressed strong
> reservations when Mr. Asay was named Canonical
> COO, I haven’t heard anything from him yet that I
> find objectionable.
I find it distasteful that Canonical’s Software Partner Manager would do a co-marketing webcast with fauxpen-source vendor Groundwork:
http://www.groundworkopensource.com/resources/webcasts/gwm-6.1-ubuntu.html
No word on whether Asay had a hand in this, but apparently it’s been expected that he’d be involved in their marketing efforts:
http://blog.internetnews.com/skerner/2010/02/canonical-ubuntu-linux-names-m.html
-jeff
#2 by Lyle Howard Seave on March 17, 2010 - 12:19 pm
As a side note, although I expressed strong reservations when Mr. Asay was named Canonical COO, I haven’t heard anything from him yet that I find objectionable
I once worked for a company that sold hot dogs.
I think hot dogs are repulsively bland and disgusting but when I worked there I kept my opinions to myself.
I think Asay knows that his trolling for hits titles (like calling free software dead) and putdown of Linux would get him in a lot more heat now than before and wisely decided to keep his real feelings about hotdogs/Linux to himself.
Yes, he’s better now than before but I dont believe for a minute that he has changed in beliefs about Linux, he’s just not as vocal as he was.
It doesnt mean he has changed, just that he isnt a moron and he knows which way the wind blows.
Is that how we muzzle free software opponents? Give them top jobs so they have to say nice things? WIll Rob Rearenderle be the new Red Hat CEO soon?
I remember Tarus wrote an interesting post on Groundwork and fauxpen source companies and that Assay blasted him in some comments section about how he had an irrational fear of companies that produced more open source code than he did.
THAT’s WHY Assay is a king size douche.
Dont like what someone think of your definition of open source/free software? Well, too bad because only those like Assay who have contributed code (oh wait!!!) have the right to frame questions the way they want to.
We often blast the a-holes in forums who give Linux users bad reputations when they slam a non-technical user because they dont contribute anything (that is NEVER something we force on to people. If you wnt to be a just a user, we would love that.) so I dont see why Assay isnt same the same kinda douche who went to the “you dont contribute code so you have no right to criticize” well.
Its one of the many, many, many reasons why I dont trust Asay but like the mob I guess you keep your friends closer and those who cant stand freedom even closer.