<br>It's human nature: the less competent we are at something, the more we over-estimate our competence.<br><br><a href="http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf">http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf</a> (pdf file)<br>
<br>-- CHS<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2008/12/11 Michael B. Trausch <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mike@trausch.us">mike@trausch.us</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
On Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:06:21 -0500<br>
<div class="Ih2E3d">Jim Philips <<a href="mailto:philips_jim@bellsouth.net">philips_jim@bellsouth.net</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div><div class="Ih2E3d">> I don't have any trouble believing it. The frightening thing is this<br>
> combination, which is dangerous wherever it occurs:<br>
><br>
> 1. someone eager to enforce the law<br>
> 2. at the same time, clueless as to what the law really is<br>
> 3. in a position of authority<br>
><br>
> This teacher might have taken some time to understand the situation<br>
> before expressing herself so forcefully. But apparently that kind of<br>
> self doubt is not natural for her. She might also have limited<br>
> herself to putting a check on things that interfere with her<br>
> classroom activities. But she didn't. I thought the blogger's<br>
> response was excellent and restrained.<br>
<br>
</div>I have known _many_ people to have such misconceptions, telling me that<br>
the software is absolutely illegal. Such people usually cite<br>
Microsoft's "Genuine Software" campaign, which has radio and billboard<br>
advertisements that say things like "Acme, Inc. got computer viruses<br>
because they were using software obtained for free [alluding to<br>
privacy, but vague enough for people to understand what Microsoft<br>
wanted to say]. Are _you_ using Microsoft Genuine Software?"<br>
<br>
What's even more sad than that, though, is that one can even point<br>
these people to copyright law---on government web sites---and point out<br>
the licenses which govern things from books to CDs to proprietary<br>
software to Free Software, and they will *still* hold their assertions<br>
to be true. They will tell you that since you were able to provide the<br>
information that it _must_ be false, that the government web site must<br>
_obviously_ be a fake, and more. They are incapable of seeing how very<br>
wrong they are when they make assertions without having any absolute<br>
knowledge of the way things work, because most people operate at this<br>
very high-level view of "you get what you pay for," and of course if<br>
you didn't pay for it all you're going to get is trouble.<br>
<br>
Even sadder than that, is that such rampant ignorance is easily found<br>
_everywhere_. A few days ago I was out and gave a random someone a<br>
copy of Ubuntu, and 'twas turned down because I am clearly not a<br>
software vendor and the software was being given away, which<br>
_obviously_ meant that it was against the law.<br>
<br>
One reason I won't try to advocate to people in positions of power,<br>
for sure. The last thing I need is for some ignorant officer to arrest<br>
me. If I were alone in the world, I wouldn't mind it, because I'd have<br>
the time to make an example of them. I'd *love* to do so. Then again,<br>
I am just a jaded twentysomething who has lost his faith in the ability<br>
of the mass population to be smart, or at least able to think for<br>
themselves.<br>
<br>
--- Mike<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
--<br>
My sigfile ran away and is on hiatus.<br>
<a href="http://www.trausch.us/" target="_blank">http://www.trausch.us/</a><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br>