Tejas Dinkar wrote:

> > These are some people who are working for money only(I would call them
> > dumb users). I know many colleagues(software engineers) in my office,
> > who never saw an operating system other than windows.
>
> So by the above definition, those who work for money alone are dumb?

Ever since money became an important factor @ work for me, I've lost the
passion to explore and experiment.

After all "nobody got fired for playing it safe" (at least not a
programmer nearer to the carpet in an org chart).

> Why is it essential for people to see `other operating systems` for them
> not to qualify as `Dumb Users`.

Any student who says "I don't need to know and I never will" is
admitting to a wanton attempt at ignorance.

Ignorance, blissful ignorance.

> almost _derogatory_ to those who don't use a Free Operating System.

Hmm... interesting use of the word "almost".

> People work hard to earn their living irrespective of geographical
> location.

Is not a question of "hard". The question to ask is whether being
"smart" is much of a differentiator today as it was six or seven
years ago.

In 2000-2001, I was sure if I wasn't good I would be out on the
streets (or a clerk in a bank). Now, the difference is between getting
paid two lakhs or six.

> a flawless computing experience, with all the nitty gritty details
> HIDDEN under the hood.

"Get a Mac", as Mr Steve Jobs would say.

> `Why should I contribute to FOSS`.

Is nearly the same question as "Why does FOSS exist ?" (because it is
irrelevant in a scenario where nobody contributes - see Nessus)

> <http://fci.wikia.com/wiki/Contributors>), where you have named `Students
> of TCE college Madurai` as contributors. I do not see any projects from
> `IITs IIScs NITs et. al`.
>
> The Ivy list colleges are in the same boat as the rest of us.

I once drafted a long drawn blog post titled "Windup Toys R Us", poking
around the motivations of why people who aren't often the top scoring,
high profile students turn out into good technical talent (and vice versa).

The key to working hard for the ordinary is knowing that it makes a
direct difference - to your life - not to some abstract altruistic goal.
More accurately, it is a "Work or Perish" threat of failure rather than
raw ambition that drives a lot of people forward (me, at least).

As I said before the "differential" advantage between good and bad is
shrinking and failure isn't quite that absolute as it used to be. And
even probability of failure is nearly non-existent for "quality" brands.

To put it bluntly, if I were assured a decent job out of college, I'd
have spent more time on a cricket ground or college canteen than between
keyboard and chair. Maybe you're different, maybe you're not.

Anyway, you can guess why the entry is still a "*rough* draft".

Cheers,
Gopal
--
If I learn from my mistakes, pretty soon I'll know everything.