Does Santa Hate Linux? 271
beernutmark writes "Well, it looks like Santa or at least Norad/Google hates Linux. This year, for the first time since its inception, Norad is not making a simple .kml file available for download to track Santa. You must connect to their website with a Windows/Mac browser and use the browser plugin. No full-screen Google Earth to look at the beautiful areas around Santa's path. (Anyone have any open source source kml files for tracking Santa or any idea how we can go about making one for 2010?)"
Re:Santa? Hate? WTF? (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, because providing a link to download a KML file is much harder than embedding fullblown Google Earth as a browser plugin.
Think about it (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course Santa hates Linux. I mean, think about it, he's Mr. Materialism. Santa is all about shopping malls. It's that smart rabbi, that Jesus guy, who talked about sharing with others as a path to happiness, not Santa. Santa's heart belongs to Microsoft.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:2, Insightful)
What about Donald Knuth? (Score:4, Insightful)
Professor Knuth is a Christian (see his 3:16), and I suspect he's smart enough to be on slashdot.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Oh really. (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps he lets his prophet [lmgtfy.com] speak for him. He's funny that way.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:3, Insightful)
That's so wrong, I don't know where to begin, but here goes:
1. Santa Claus is unrelated to Christianity.
2. Christmas is really a pagan festival that in relatively recent times was adopted by the Christian church and later by business people who wanted to sell more goods. The conversion into the event of mass consumption of goods that we have today was done very deliberately.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm an atheist too, but I celebrate Christmas. Why? Because I suspect that, like a lot of myths, the story of Jesus started with a grain of truth. I figure he was probably a Jewish rabble-rouser who went around preaching a philosophy of pacifism - a dangerous thing to do in an empire whose wealth and power was based almost entire on continuous military expansion. So, he caught the attention of the emperor, was executed, and as with many martyrs, his tale grew in the telling.
But, ignoring all of the supernatural mythology that found its way into his story over time, I have a ton of respect for him as a philosopher. His "turn the other cheek" for instance, shows that he understood the cyclical nature of violence far better than most people at that time - he understood that the cycle doesn't end until someone has the strength of character to take the last blow without retaliating.
So, I celebrate his birthday, for pretty much the same reason I celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Not because I believe all that stuff about him being the son of god, or dying to save our souls, but simply because I respect the man and what he taught.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:3, Insightful)
1. Santa Claus is unrelated to Christianity.
Right, so you don't have to believe in God or Jesus to appreciate Santa.
2. Christmas is really a pagan festival that in relatively recent times was adopted by the Christian church and later by business people who wanted to sell more goods. The conversion into the event of mass consumption of goods that we have today was done very deliberately.
Again, no need to be a Christian to appreciate Santa.
As for the commercialism, you are free to give it the finger and still appreciate the spirit of Santa. Greet the sunrise on the 21st (and go on for 12 days). Give an elderly neighbor the gift of a snow-free driveway and good food. Prepare a feast. Give your mail carrier some home baked treats, etc. etc. They can't MAKE you go to the mall and abuse your credit cards and a lot of gestures are a whole lot nicer than a random something from the mall anyway.
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:4, Insightful)
Ok you don't get it,
For a kid below the age of about 7 the world is a magical place and santa is a part of that wonder so is flying raindeer and elves.
The world for most of us is a much more mundane place even with Christianity wedging itself into our magical festival theres not much belief in elves or flying raindeer for the Christians.
It's not really christian.
It's a time for being nice to each other and if magic is real isn't that fantastic isn't the world better for magic? now tell me why you want to suck that joy out of your childrens lives?
now you can be cynical and see it all as a waste of money and exploitation of your wallet but really the look of happiness as your kids unwrap their presents, well worth it.
There is plenty of time for the drudgery that most of us live with
the worlds better with santa, and a little magic
Re:For once, I'm fine with being locked out... (Score:1, Insightful)
For a kid below the age of about 7 the world is a magical place and santa is a part of that wonder so is flying raindeer and elves.
I'm 31 and the world is still a magical place. (metaphorically) Isn't life (nature) itself magical enough? And I never said imagination would be verboten.
The world for most of us is a much more mundane place even with Christianity wedging itself into our magical festival theres not much belief in elves or flying raindeer for the Christians.
I didn't know you worshiped the sun...
It's not really christian.
Like I said before, I knew the truth about Christmas when I was little, including where it came from and how it was 'christianized.'
It's a time for being nice to each other and if magic is real isn't that fantastic isn't the world better for magic? now tell me why you want to suck that joy out of your childrens lives?
Every day of the year is a great time to be nice to each other. That's how I try my best to do it. It also sounds like you wish there was something supernatural to the universe. I see that in pretty much all humanity. I wonder why...
As for the joy in childrens lives and sucking it out; Reality is never so harsh as when you just step out of Fantasy. Many people believe knowledge destroys innocence. Knowledge in fact preserves innocence. Innocence will keep you joyful.
now you can be cynical and see it all as a waste of money and exploitation of your wallet but really the look of happiness as your kids unwrap their presents, well worth it.
Actually Science and the Bible agree that money doesn't buy happiness. And where did you see me say that giving (including gifts) was wrong or bad. 364 other days to do that w/o having to lie. If I have kids, I indeed do plan on giving gifts, year round, to them. Why not try an unexpected time and unexpected gift if you want to see joy on someone's eyes.
I ask you to notice today what actually makes those around you happy. The actual items given, the association of friends and family, the action of gift-giving and gift-receiving, or Santa Claus and flying reindeer.
There is plenty of time for the drudgery that most of us live with the worlds better with santa, and a little magic
I feel for your drudgery. I really do. Maybe the drudgery is partly because all non-essential consumption largely revolves around one day of the year?* Is this world too far gone for a person to be unable to find joy in reality? Again, it's almost as if Humans needed magic or the supernatural for happiness or joy.
*Black Friday, closely connected with Christmas.