First off, I would strongly suggest that everyone think a little more about the words they use and the tone they set.
Second, if we are in fact wanting to force people to use free open software, the most effective way to do it would be to remove all the tweaks in the code/css to accommodate IE. When people complain, insist that they install a completely free and open browser. Of course, we'd end up pissing-off more than half of our user base, and Wikipedia would return to being "just another web page." The point is that even though we are in favor of free and open software, there are other goals that we hold more important.
Personally, I did not join Wikipedia in order to advance open source software. I'm much more interested in making an encyclopedia that is accessible by all. As I see it, that should be our first and most important goal.
WARNING! LONG RANT TO FOLLOW
I'd also like to say a few words on behalf of the "Windoze Lemmings" of the world. I use Windows, currently Windows XP. My family has three computers, all of them running XP. I also use IE on all the systems. I am well aware that there are other browsers out there, but I also have a life to live. I want to keep those three computers as similar as possible, and to keep them relatively close to "normal".
I don't do this because I am technology idiot. At the company where I formerly for over 10 years, I maintained over 20 computers, while also coding software -- mostly for custom-built microcontroller-based systems with no operating system or with bare-bones real-time cores. I cut my teeth on CPM, worked for years in DOS and RT-11, and made the painful transitions from DOS to Win3.1 to Win95 to Win98 to Win2000 to WinXP. I also spent some time fiddling with AmigaDOS, and even have some (tiny) exposure to whatever-it-is-they-call-the-OS on IBM370's (can you say punched cards?).
I've never been a regular Mac user (in the early days it was just to damn expensive), and I don't find any compelling reason to switch to the Apple hardware and OSX (or whatever).
I also understand that Linix is finally beginning to be available in truly user-friendly forms. When I looked into Redhat some 5 years ago (when people were telling me it was really user friendly), I met with nothing but frustration.
Sure, I'd love to stop shelling out too much cash to Microsoft for its OS and everything else. I also cheer whenever MS loses a lawsuit. But, when I use a computer at the university, its WinXP. When my wife goes to work, its WinXP. When my kids go to school, its WinXP. It's going to take a hefty amount of convincing for me to give up all my hard-won experience and start using a defacto non-standard system.
So, watch the name calling, OK? Lemmings (as you use the word in "Windoze Lemmings") are creatures who follow the leader without thinking. Every step on my journey was taken knowing there were advantages and disadvantages involved. You can question whether I made the correct decisions, but don't suggest that I, and all the rest of the Windows world, are following without thought and without knowledge.
END OF RANT
Thanks, I just wanted to get all that off my chest.
Rich Holton (en:wikipedia:Rholton)
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