Gould: Oracle to Red Hat: It's Not Your Father's Linux Market Anymore

1 : one that possesses, owns, or holds exclusive right to something; specifically : proprietor 1

2 : something that is used, produced, or marketed under exclusive legal right of the inventor or maker; specifically : a drug (as a patent medicine) that is protected by secrecy, patent, or copyright against free competition as to name, product, composition, or process of manufacture

Now, you can use the word proprietary anyway you want, but if your unusual definition of the word is the "main point of your article", than why are you so upset with people here for thinking that you sound like a "shill", or that you are spreading propaganda? Proprietary has a very specific meaning in the software world and you are clearly distorting that meaning in your defense, and yet your are also clearly using the term in the common way to evoke emotional responses.

No I am not going say that we are saints here at LWN, but I think that you will find that we have high standards for the articles which we expect to be linked to from here. Maybe you are not used to this? And perhaps the name calling against you was not called for, but at least it had a point and was related to the perceived criticism of your article. You, however have elevated the name calling to a level which is way beyond what most of us expect here. Perhaps you need a thicker skin to be a reporter, because while the readers here may have poignant attacks, they are rather milder than the general public who might have just called you an "idiot" as you so aptly did here.

To be honest, I think we all expected more professionalism of you, if that is the sort of comment response that you think will make LWN readers more respectful of your articles, it has likely failed miserably.