Open source protester crashes speech by Bill Gates at Chinese University

[cnbiz850]

I read several Chinese reports saying about the incident. There is an English report by the above title which I can not open for some reason.

Anyway, it says that a well-dressed man jumped on the stage during Gates' speech at Beijing University waving a sign saying "free software and open source" and spoke in English related words for about a minute. Gates was interrupted but remained calm. After the man returned to the seat by himself, a couple security guard took him away. It was quite a supprise to everyone on site.

[%hMa@?b<C]

http://weblog.infoworld.com/openresource/archives/2007/04/open_source_pro.html
link to english report

[Dyegov]

What a way to react. I do support Open Source software, but I do not think that is the best way to get it promoted. Those actions will only give it bad reputation :(

[weedmonk]

I agree. This makes open source movement look like the scared Mac fanboys out there who fellate anything Apple related and shout down anyone who used anything other than Apple. In doing so makes their whole community looks like tools. People will gravitate to open source on their own volition....just like me.:)

:guitar:

-weedmonk

[K.Mandla]

Those open source fans ... they're so nutty. :D At least they're polite and return to their seats when they're done protesting. :lol:

[prizrak]

Well that gives us a seriously bad name. Spreading the word is one thing, interrupting someone else's speech is another. Props to Gates for staying calm though.

[DoctorMO]

According to the news he ran off where he was tackled by security. although one thing is a bit warped about the news:


Backers of open source say that users should be allowed to view and edit software code, including Microsoft's.

WRONG! we don't care for Microsofts code, they can shove is where the son doesn't shine as they say. we're doing quite all right without the poisonous monsters 'intellectual property' when it comes to code.

This news article makes the protester seem like he's asking for something from Microsoft when all he really wants is for Microsoft to stop Bribing, corrupting and damaging the IT industry. It's crazy to think that this guy wanted Microsoft to give away it's products (ironical)

[BoyOfDestiny]

Man that photo made my day. It just seems so surreal.

Anyway, the article says he came on stage after the speech was finished. They were just about to hand out prizes.
Screaming free software and open source isn't the same as love all things from this one company...
Not that it makes it right, but still, took some guts to do. And the message is pretty darn clear. If some will infer that people who like things open and free aren't playing with a full deck, they might as well stick to closed, expensive, and proprietary then...

[diskotek]

this way of act can be linked anti-capitalistic way of act. i saw these kinds of things in my university as well. well i'm happy...

[Tundro Walker]

Dateline NBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/)...

The "Open Source (http://tenebrae.sourceforge.net/)" movement has press-ganged (http://www.hellokittyhell.com/) more impressionable youths (http://www.i-mockery.com/goth/suicide.htm) into anti-Gates ralliests (http://www.jumpstation.ca/recroom/comedy/python/spanish.html). Reports are coming (http://lwn.net/Articles/166869/) in of world-wide panic (http://www.wandg.com/), as packs (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/) of these (http://webword.com/) ne'er-do-wells (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/Archive.html) cruise the streets in their smart attire (http://www.grungerags.com/clothing.htm), well-kept hair (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v505/ohdoct0rdoct0r1/medium/?), and calm demeanor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus) harrasing passer-bys (http://www.733t.org/733t/) with taunts (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/gaming/8106/action/) such as "I'll make you AND your mother feel cheap! (http://www.opensource.org/)" and "you wanna piece of free?! (http://www.ubuntu.com/)" If you are confronted (http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=769608&SiteID=25) by any of these types of people (http://www.buddytv.com/articles/south-park/south-park-vs-world-of-warcraf.aspx), it is advised you immediately run (http://www.melvindurai.com/olestra.htm) to the nearest Windows computer (http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=6663), and log into MSN.com (http://www.coxar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/), for re-confirmation (http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/reflections/2007/04/10/bush-administration-behind-tracking-american-citizens-is-he-the-judas-of-the-21st-century/) of key validations (http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/), and a quick email from Microsoft (http://potifos.com/fraud/) ensuring "everything is ok, Citizen! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_%28role-playing_game%29)" for a mere $100. (http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/02/06/vistasupport/index.php)

Further reports as they develop (http://www.chipx86.com/blog/?p=189)...

EDIT:

After doing all that up, I was scoping out the "everything is ok, Citizen" link. Reading down in the Wikipedia entry, I came across...


"Paranoia XP" ... published in 2004 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004) by Mongoose Publishing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose_Publishing). In 2005, Microsoft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft) requested that the XP be removed. As such, the name was shortened to just Paranoia.

Un-freakin-believe-able...

[steven8]

Dateline NBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/)...

The "Open Source (http://tenebrae.sourceforge.net/)" movement has press-ganged (http://www.hellokittyhell.com/) more impressionable youths (http://www.i-mockery.com/goth/suicide.htm) into anti-Gates ralliests (http://www.jumpstation.ca/recroom/comedy/python/spanish.html). Reports are coming (http://lwn.net/Articles/166869/) in of world-wide panic (http://www.wandg.com/), as packs (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/) of these (http://webword.com/) ne'er-do-wells (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/Archive.html) cruise the streets in their smart attire (http://www.grungerags.com/clothing.htm), well-kept hair (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v505/ohdoct0rdoct0r1/medium/?), and calm demeanor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus) harrasing passer-bys (http://www.733t.org/733t/) with taunts (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/gaming/8106/action/) such as "I'll make you AND your mother feel cheap! (http://www.opensource.org/)" and "you wanna piece of free?! (http://www.ubuntu.com/)" If you are confronted (http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=769608&SiteID=25) by any of these types of people (http://www.buddytv.com/articles/south-park/south-park-vs-world-of-warcraf.aspx), it is advised you immediately run (http://www.melvindurai.com/olestra.htm) to the nearest Windows computer (http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=6663), and log into MSN.com (http://www.coxar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/), for re-confirmation (http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/reflections/2007/04/10/bush-administration-behind-tracking-american-citizens-is-he-the-judas-of-the-21st-century/) of key validations (http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/), and a quick email from Microsoft (http://potifos.com/fraud/) ensuring "everything is ok, Citizen! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_%28role-playing_game%29)" for a mere $100. (http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/02/06/vistasupport/index.php)

Further reports as they develop (http://www.chipx86.com/blog/?p=189)...

What I like is the way all of those 'key words' were automatically made into hotlinks. Takes all of the guess work out of surfing for me. Thanks MS.

[RChickenMan]

I think this kind of behavior is great, as I see the open source software movement as a social struggle against the corporate powers at be. In practice, for the most part, the only social component of the open source movement exists on the internet. However, when it has so many ethical implications which can indeed be applied to aspects of society other than computer software, it's good to see it taken into the real world.

[macogw]

Okay, that beats what my friend did. At Carnegie Mellon University, they had permission within a half hour of the announcement that Gates would speak to hold a Linux convention in the lobby of the building where he would speak during the speech. The put a giant Tux on the roof, painted the fence into a BSOD (with a list of non-MS OSes on the back), and chalked out "Bi11 ph34rs *name of building*" Then, during Q&A with him, one of the kids asked if he'd ever tried Linux. He said once or twice. So the kid gave him "the gift of Linux" (a Knoppix cd). The kids in the lobby were also handing out Knoppix cds like candy.

That has to be one of the few schools where it's normal to use Linux and weird to use Windows. My friend that went there didn't use Linux when she got there, but their Linux community is so big that the freshmen get converted easily.

[Tundro Walker]

I'm actually torn on this issue, because I don't hate Microsoft as a whole. I dislike their Business Strategry, but I admire some of their Technical Strategies.

IE:

I admire that they're forging new developments in Computer hardware and software. I admire that they're trying to standardize things (but I don't like how they're trying to standardize everyone to their own, proprietary formats). I admire that they're trying to make computers more accessible to the common person. They kick-started a huge flood of technical innovation over the past couple decades.

There are (or were (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/Archive.html)) a lot of very bright, innovative people that work at Microsoft, and they, like all of us, either take, or want to take, pride (http://www.proudlyserving.com/archives/2007/04/why_i_work_at_m.html) in what they do. But, like a lot of businesses, sometimes the needs or wants of the business come first and get in the way of perfection, elegance, etc. Programmers that work for companies that make in-house software know what I'm saying, because time and time again, they are forced to simply make the software "good enough" rather than elegant and perfect. Sometimes, the ROI can't justify the extra polish to make a useable product into a great product.

The business-side, in order to meet certain peak buying periods, forces a ship date for a product that leaves it a bit buggy. The business-side forces integration of features that are about as useful as a tick on a dog's behind, just so they can market it as "more robust" and charge folks more. They focus on more, newer features instead of just getting the basics to work better, because you can't justify charging folks for a product again if you just make the regular stuff better.

The "people are promoted to their level of incompetence" is true at every company. You have very gifted technical people promoted into management positions, because somebody quit. But, just because a person is a programming genius doesn't mean they're a management guru, or people-facing guru having to deal with all the BS that a Program Manager has to deal with.

So, I don't hate Microsoft as a whole, I disklike their business ethics at times. I dislike them charging an arm and a leg for shoddier products because they've monopolized the market.

Unfortunately, Bill gets the brunt of this disfavor from everyone, because he's the front-man of the band. However, he's not the CEO (http://www.macobserver.com/news/00/january/000114/gatesstepsdown.shtml). He spear-headed the Microsoft mentality for a while, but as large as that company is, he can't have his hand in every pot. It's like blaming George Bush for every (http://politics.netscape.com/story/2006/09/11/poll-more-americans-blame-bush-for-9-11/) thing (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500996.html) that goes wrong (http://medienkritik.typepad.com/blog/2005/08/german_minister.html) in the USA. (Ok, the WMD's...yeah, that was stupid. But I only blame Bush in-so-far as he kept letting Rumsfeld do what he was doing without removing him sooner.)

Like the front-man of the band, Bill's going to get the brunt of everything, when it's good and when it's bad. He's the figure head. It just so happens that there's more bad floating around about Microsoft then good. And that's because they're the top dog, and the media LOVES to roll negative press (http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9909/28/ms.security.idg/index.html) more than positive press (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm)...people love drama (http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/14/bill-gates-on-the-future-of-drm/). But, Bill won't be around (http://wizbangblog.com/2006/06/15/gates-to-leave-microsoft-in-2008.php) to blame for much longer. I guess we'll see if it really was "all his fault" or not soon enough.

(Note that all the hyperlink cites...read at your own risk. The net is covered with tons of "official unofficial" sources these days...more "opinion" vs. real information/news. Even the mainstream media tends to play favorites or spin content to their own agenda.)

[wmcbrine]

According to the news he ran off where he was tackled by security. although one thing is a bit warped about the news:

"Backers of open source say that users should be allowed to view and edit software code, including Microsoft's"Yeah, our local TV news said something very similar when they covered it. Annoying. But I thought the protest itself was quite fun.