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Let us just say that we hate IM-speak and Webby abbreviations, but being that this is a family-friendly publication, a simple “WTF” will have to suffice for our reaction on this one.

Our minds are really blown by this:

A middle school teacher, Karen, had a mini-meltdown when she spotted a student showing off the capabilities of his Linux-powered laptop and handing out Linux discs provided by HeliOS, a organization dedicated to putting low-cost, Linux-powered PC in the hands of under-privileged children. She confiscated the CDs and set out to make sure the evil man behind this free software was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

When she landed on Ken Starks, founder of HeliOS, she sent him a tersely worded e-mail. Here are some of the absurd highlights:

“I am not sure what you are doing is legal. No software is free and spreading that misconception is harmful.”

“I will research this as time allows and I want to assure you, if you are doing anything illegal, I will pursue charges as the law allows.”

“I admire your attempts in getting computers in the hands of disadvantaged people but putting Linux on these machines is holding our kids back.”

“I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older version of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service to those receiving them…”

We know that many people out there are not aware of, or at least not well-educated about Linux, but to claim that there is no such thing as free software is so bone-headed that we strongly suggest this woman be stripped of her teaching license. Even Microsoft, the company she evangelizes for at the end of her e-mail, offers numerous free software packages.

Ken Starks did eventually get an apology from Karen after having a 45 minute conversation with her explaining (in more polite terms than we’re capable of, we’re sure) Linux and the Free Open Source Software (FOSS) movement. According to a post on Twitter she was “in awe.” [From: Download Squad, HeliOS Blog]

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Source: Switched.Com

Posted by: Geoff Caplan