[wellylug] (no subject)

[Sam Cannell]

> >  Just because somebody's OS of choice *is* Windows, it doesn't mean 
> > they're wrong, just that their tastes are different than yours.
> 
> Let us be clear, there is more to the issue than taste.  We are not 
> comparing the colour red with the colour blue.

Honestly, I don't really think it is.  Why should somebody else be
coerced into trying Linux just because you feel that it's better?

> Further, blame cannot be laid at the feet of users.  I don't see any 
> of us doing this.
> 
> With respect to "preaching" or "evangalising", certain organisations 
> in our advanced capitalist society would much prefer it if you and I 
> didn't use any GNU software and instead paid (on a regular basis) for 
> their proprietary offerings.  And they would prefer that we basically 
> have not choice but to do this.  And they are trying to ensure that 
> the law makes it hard for GNU systems to thrive (software patents, 
> TRIPS, etc.).  They also spend untold $$ "preaching" via advertising.

> Do you condemn that also?

For doing everything in their power to fulfil their legal obligation to
their shareholders?  Not at all.  I'll let you in on a little secret -
Companies exist for one reason alone - to make their shareholders rich.

Patents have been around for a long long time before computers, and to
an extent I agree with them.  If a company pours millions of dollars
into R&D for a new software package, then I don't think that I should
have the right to rip off their hard work and release a replica version.
If patents were not available, such development would not be a
financially viable investment and simply would not happen.

However, given that a year in computing is much longer than a year in
pretty much any industry, I do feel that patents should expire a lot
sooner.

Don't get me wrong - if you want to set up an open source advocacy
group, then don't let me stop you.  However if The People desire this to
be the future of the Lug, then I want no part in it.

Sam

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