This is just too funny

[Scott <pope@ossuary.net>]

     PBS runs this show called Digital Duo.  It's basic
premise is that you have two average users giving their
review & rating to mostly computer related crap.  Awhile
back they ran a show with a 10 minute linux segment.  I
think they reviewed RHL, giving it a "Save" for the server
stuff and a "delete" for the desktop.  After that show I
wrote a rather long letter to their comments address
basically saying, "You didn't give up on windows after
thirty minutes of poking it, why do that to a linux dist?"
     Anyway, I caught this week's repeat on 17 tonight.  If
the two primary reviewers are "average users", this special
commentator they give five minutes of every show to, Walt
Mossberg, must be their "average luser".  He's the guy that
touts how great AOL is & the like.  Reminds me a lot of my
old boss, to whom I must have explained how to add a desktop
icon in wind0ze to at least twice a week for eight months.
His little thing tonight was a rant on the complexity of
computers, calling people who know anything about how they
work "techies" and "nerds" in a way that was clearly meant
to offended but just came off as goofy bitching.  To
paraphrase, if you don't want to watch the clip, he "can't
wait until those evil techies who sneer at you from afar are
no more, or reduced to being the equivalent to a hobbyist
mechanic."  In his analogy of car engines to computers, he
suggests that modern engines have made life easier, when in
the past you needed to go to someone almost as bad as the
vile nerd to get your car fixed.  Now I really don't know
what he's talking about there.  If he or anyone else wants
to come look at the engine in my '90 grand prix or '59
karmann ghia, they're certainly welcome to.  If they then
say the grand prix's looks easier to work on, they're just
full of crap.
     Clearly someone should have reminded him of that old
saying, don't bite the hand that feeds you.  I'm sure the
next day when his wind0ze box was GPF'ing none of the bad
old nerds were anywhere to be found.  This was a repeat from
6/99, but that rant is just too funny to pass up.  Here's
the url for realvideo:

http://webevents.broadcast.com/forbes/digitalduo0699/202_b.ram

Scott
-- 
I love you more than anything in this world.
I don't expect that will last.
 -Elvis Costello