Re: [Fsuk-manchester] the non-free neighbour asking for help dilemma

[Stephen Mount]

Agreed,

It's nasty not helping your brother because he uses non-free software.

Maybe if you fix it, and you could possibly show him what free  
software thats available thats better, he might want such free  
software, and you can help him with that then.

"Linux has next to none viruses" is always a convincing point.

You never know.

On 5 May 2008, at 23:44, Chris Rogers wrote:

> Tim,
>
> I accept it's a dilemma given your strong and sincere views about  
> free software.  You have a similar standpoint to Mercury Merlin, a  
> contributor on another list.
>
> Of course you should help your brother.  If you don't, he may  
> conclude that you think more of a piece of software than you do of  
> him.  And when it all comes to it, family is all you have...
>
> From a technical point of view, it does sound as though removing the  
> dual-boot option has screwed up the MBR and a bit of tweaking with a  
> partition manager/boot manager may fix it without the need to  
> reinstall Windows.
>
> hth...
>
> Chris
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Dobson" <address@hidden 
> >
> To: <address@hidden>
> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 6:32 PM
> Subject: [Fsuk-manchester] the non-free neighbour asking for help  
> dilemma
>
>
> > Ok it's not really a dilemma but:
> >
> > I'm sure many people have been in this situation, and different  
> > people
> > will have different opinions.
> >
> > My brother's Windows XP computer has stopped booting. Apparently it
> > won't boot from CD because of GRUB from previous (now removed) debian
> > install.
> > This is obviously highly unlikely. It's probably the BIOS.
> >
> > He wants me to take a look at it.
> >
> > I am unwilling to assist in reinstalling Windows etc. because of  
> > moral
> > objections to non-free software, however I don not wish him to *pay*
> > someone else to do something, and then to top it off he is my  
> > brother,
> > whom I don't really want to fall out with.
> >
> > I suspect he won't sympathise with my moral views regarding Free
> > software were I to explain them to him.
> >
> > While, it seems relatively obvious to me the situation which I  
> > think I
> > must take in this situation,
> >
> > what would you do?
> >
> > Tim
> >
> > --
> > www.tdobson.net
> > ----
> > If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us
> > still has one object.
> > If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us  
> > now
> > has two ideas.   -  George Bernard Shaw
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Fsuk-manchester mailing list
> > address@hidden
> > http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsuk-manchester
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.23.8/1415 - Release Date:  
> 05/05/2008 06:01
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Fsuk-manchester mailing list
> address@hidden
> http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsuk-manchester

Kind Regards,

Stephen Mount
WyMoX Hosting UK

smime.p7s
Description: S/MIME cryptographic signature