Visiting Big(Non)wigs …

Hmmm …

Now, I don’t know if I’ve made an impression, or not.

I hope I have …

But suspect I haven’t.

You know, you’d POSSIBLY be thankful if I actually told you why, wouldn’t you … ?

»»·««

But at ANY rate … ?

I’ve got to admit, my street got a badly timed visit from Brentwood’s MP, Eric Pickles, this morning.

Badly timed, you say … ?

Well, yeah.

I’d run out of tomatoes.

And as I said earlier … ?

I’m none too sure if he’ll remember, but I’m hoping he will.

Because …

Well, I’ll be frank, here, if I may, I’ve always been something of a fan of the basic idea of open source source software and operating systems.

Operating systems in particular.

I’ve always liked the idea that there’s should be more than one choice for ways to run a computer: I’ve always suggested Ubuntu as a very user friendly Linux distro, for example, to any who’ve asked.

Now in the past, the current Chancellor, George Osbourne has always spoken well of using open source software … but never seemingly done much about it.

So, me being me … ?

I handed him a copy of Ubuntu 11•04.

Complete with making the point it’s free software.

And the (only mildly bitchy) point that as he’s using a version of Windoze on hit by now notorious £7, 000 laptop, he’s handed control of his machine to Bill Gates.

A foreign power, if you chose to look at it that way.

His reply was a “Well it could …”

I’ve got to admit, I told him — politely enough, I think — that there wasn’t a could about it.

So …

Well, I don’t know if Eric Pickles is reading this.

But I’d dare him — if he is — to use that Ubuntu live disc on an older machine he, parliament or party headquarters may have access to.

And use that machine as his main working machine, for a week or so, to make himself familiar with it and the software it contains.

And to see how much use he can get from it.

And then starting costing replacing Windozes.