[ILUG] Morning Ireland piece on MyDoom virus

[Paul Mc Auley]

On Mon, Feb 02, 2004 at 01:03:08PM +0000, Niall O Broin wrote:
| On Monday 2 February 2004, cjb at linux.ie (Christian van den Bosch) wrote:

| >However, I note that this apparent "computer expert" holds a degree in 
| >Communications, is a qualified English teacher, and "and has extensive 
| >IT training experience." I wonder what this means...

| Perhaps it's a corollary to the old saw that

| Those who can, do, those who can't, teach.

| . . . .  and those who are completely clueless run training companies.

So, is the point to point out the concept of 'ad-hominem'?

Meaning 'against the man', it characterises an attack on a principle based
on some sub-set of its supporters.

So:

"SCO was attacked, ergo it was done by Linux users, ergo Linux is evil."
Spot the fallacy.

but also,
"Someone who sells a Windows related service made some rather foundless
claim pointing the finger at open-source, therefore all windows users
wouldn't know a clue if it bit them on the A-"NO CARRIER

Ahem.

So, deeping calming breaths. Come across as calm and reasonable, not some
frothing maniac. Find the claims extraordinary and just a little amusing.
Point out that even if the claim of the origin were true, it no more
typifies the average open-source user than, oh, I don't know, young
drivers being a huge threat to the general public. Point to big businesses
(IBM, Sun) that have heavy open-source involvement.
	Paul