"Free software is great, and corporate America loves it. It's often high-quality stuff that can be downloaded free off the Internet and then copied at will. It's versatile - it can be customized to perform almost any large-scale computing task - and it's blessedly crash-resistant. A broad community of developers, from individuals to large companies like IBM, is constantly working to improve it and introduce new features. No wonder the business world has embraced it so enthusiastically: More than half the companies in the Fortune 500 are thought to be using the free operating system Linux in their data centers. But now there's a shadow hanging over Linux and other free software, and it's being cast by Microsoft. The Redmond behemoth asserts that one reason free software is of such high quality is that it violates more than 200 of Microsoft's patents."
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Member since:2005-11-11
"A head to head collision with Microsoft will be disastrous for free software in America."
I disagree with that. It might be a disaster in the short term but, as the USA is not the world, it might just cause enough disturbance outside the USA to bring enough pressure to bear on the US government. Perhaps the collective might of vested interests opposed to MS, both within and outside the USA, might just lead to the change that is needed.
In all honesty, I never expected DRM to get lifted from music tracks any time soon, but it seems to be happening now. The only 2 forces I'm aware of, that brought this about, was a sickly music company (EMI) outside of the USA and EU countries complaining to Apple. It had nothing to do with the USA, but the USA is going to feel the effects. This patent thing might just go the same way.
Feel free to shoot me down on that, anyone, I am not an expert. That's just a gut feeling I have based on my ignorance.
Edited 2007-05-14 17:23
Member since:2006-03-31
"...as the USA is not the world..."
Note I specified conditions in the US which had not been addressed. I think the situation of free software in the US is important to this discussion.
"..., it might just cause enough disturbance outside the USA to bring enough pressure to bear on the US government."
Since when has the US listened to its allies? Ever heard of something called the "Iraq Invasion"?
Member since:
2006-03-31
Europeans have a more humane social contract than us in the States. You know, you guys have things like universal health care. Here, things aren't so nice. Large firms like Microsoft have a disproportionate control over legal issues. A head to head collision with Microsoft will be disastrous for free software in America. Even the government couldn't break up Microsoft with an anti-trust lawsuit a decade ago. Free software can't either because it simply does not have the resources to fight a very costly legal battle. Free software has been able to survive here because we have had to hide off in an underground bunker to avoid lawsuits. Need I say anything more than "libdvdcss2"?