Our bemused staffer pointed out that much of CWHK's online content is also available in standard HTML format as our issues go live, which seemed to placate the Linuxtistas enough to start the discussion. Both vendor-reps and Maddog-thoughtful and well spoken individuals one and all-agreed that open source was proving popular with younger computer science students, some as young as 11 and 12. They all felt that not only would open source attract tech-minded students but that these skills would pave the way to IT careers in the future-intriguing coming from the likes of IBM and Novell.

But just as it seemed the panel discussion would lapse into harmonious bliss, more queries from Linux-happy audience members went flying, and comments flew back both from the stage and other Linuxtistas. At one point, one audience member hurled "It's obvious YOU don't do any programming!" at another member of the Linux Brigade.

Perhaps the best term voiced was "Shamshuipo Syndrome," coined to describe the self-appointed mid-90s "IT experts" whose street cred came from their ability to successfully install dodgy software from Golden Arcade. It was all polite, but certainly made for an interesting afternoon.

Dear Media friends...

E-mails to your hardworking CWHK editorial staff sport a variety of salutations. Sometimes we are known by the glib and cynical "media friends," so when we were recently addressed as "Dear Media Group" we felt more comfy.