Vive le Pingouin!
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By now, most of the Linux community is aware of Microsoft's firstfull-frontal assault on Linux, based on their claim that "the Linuxoperating system is not suitable for mainstream usage by business or homeusers."
There has been plenty of thoughtful reaction to this; I don't think I cando better than Having said that, I suggest a little levity: don't hate Microsoft,ridicule them. I highly recommend a look at the current issue of And now to the main course. Montréal is like no other city on the continent. The taxicabs are ToyotaCamrys, and restaurants that are merely good don't survive while some of thehundreds of others invite you to bring your own wine. There are twounderground cities; the subterranean pedestrian walkways that are kept open yearround, and the tunnels that are dug through the snow each winter. In general,this city seems to know how to have a good time better than anywhere else. For me, it's worth coming just to make a pilgrimage to the world's finestdeli, Enough travelog. In early October, the traveling IT-hype road show known tomost of us as Comdex rolled through this city. But make no mistake; ComdexQuébec (which Web site you use depends on whether you pronounce it This is, for the most part, a show done in French with English providedwhere necessary. Unlike Different language, same Linux "This was our coming-out party," said Martin Dumas, administrativedirector of Group ITPS, a Linuxconsulting firm which had a large, slick booth that was prominentlyidentified as Comdex's Linux Showcase. ITPS has been in existence since February, and Dumas said Comdexprovided the company with the perfect audience to show offits Linux smarts. The company was giving seminars throughout theconference, and also had demonstrations of Linux running on aSPARC and iMac. "This has been a very big success for us," Dumas said. At the other end of the show hall was another Linux booth. Headed by "It's gone very well here," said Cyrille Béraud, director of La joie de Linux "We have two worries about the conference, whether weget too few people or too many," said Robert Cajolet, president of thelocal Camelot chain of computerbookstores, one of the Alternative: Linux sponsors. Cajolet, who says his camelot.ca online bookstore is doing extremelywell throughout the French-speaking world, says the Montréal Linux scene is incredibly active. In keeping with thecity's spirit, Cajolet's stores give out 3D glasses so that you can meethim up close and personal. Organizers expect about 400 people to Alternative: Linux, whichboasts Richard Stallman and Eric Raymond among its speakers. Theconference, put on by Camelot together with the I expect the conference will be first class. At the very least, I know thatStallman and Raymond will be able to sample some of the best dining inthe world. They may even make it to Schwartz's, if they're lucky. Fais-tu du Linux? Let us know in the Talkback below or the
One thing, however, is no different. As at most Comdex shows this year,the Linux presence is clear and popular. Two large Linux booths, with verydifferent flavors, made certain that conference-goers were aware of themain alternative to the booth that asked
The Linux conference spirit won't go away very quickly in Montréal.Within just a few weeks, a technical conference called
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