[ubuntu-uk] Judge bans Microsoft Word sales

[William Anderson]

Paul Sutton wrote:
>> Alan Lord (News) wrote:
>>> I disagree. Making *everything* open source would be pyrrhic panacea. 
>>> Competition is good. Competition is what has spurned the FOSS movement 
>>> and proprietary vendors alike. Trying to eradicate the proprietary 
>>> market is unrealistic and would stifle innovation.
> 
> what does "pyrrhic panacea" mean? Would it be possible to use Plain
> English please,  so people know what you are talking about

A pyrrhic (pirr-ik) victory means winning something at a terrible cost
to yourself, referring to King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who fought and won
battles against the Romans in 280 BC and 278 BC, but lost a great number
of his soldiers, including key personnel and his close friends.

A panacea (pan-ah-see-ah) means something that can solve all problems,
or a medicine or remedy that can cure all ills and diseases, and extend
life.  It refers to Panakea (Πανάκεια), the Greek goddess of healing,
who was said to heal the sick with potion.

So I guess from those two definitions, Alan means that making everything
open source would be something that could solve all problems, but at a
terrible cost to us all.

I disagree that everyone should use Plain English, however; if you're
not sure what a word means, look it up and extend your vocabulary :)

-n