It is another OS/2 debacle, isn't it? Best OS at the time, and we had
to put up with a decade of Windows 98 etc before they got a relatively
stable OS with Win 2k etc.
All because of money... see next email.
Clement Clarke
David Cole wrote:
At 12/3/2007 05:04 PM, Dave Kopischke wrote:
With all due respect, I don't believe IBM has an obligation to you or
any of us to act responsibly nor fairly in this matter. This is IBM's
property and they are entitled to sell it or allow access to it or
give it away in any way they see fit. And that includes protecting it
in any manner and with whatever ferocity they feel appropriate.
WADR (BTW, I hate that phrase...) WADR: I don't believe I said
anything at all about IBM "having an obligation...". Of course they
don't. I was only describing the current circumstances as I see them.
But even though I understand that IBM does not have an "obligation", I
don't therefore believe that we, who are adversely affected by this
non-obligation, should simply stand silently by and let this
deterioration of our community just happen.
Like most of what happens in this world, this is just a struggle
between competing interests, and IBM is just one player in this
struggle. Unfortunately, the struggle is somewhat out of balance.
Especially if we just stand by and let it happen. Also unfortunately,
in this struggle the major power is too short-term goal bound to see
the long range benefits of broadening this community instead of
strangling it. (And other large powers are too complacent to help out.)
Still, those of us who are directly affected have options for
influencing IBM's decision process:
The law is one such. That's what PSI and T3 are trying to use by going
to the courts.
Negotiation is another such tool. FSI was trying to follow that path,
but it doesn't look like it's working so well. (I wouldn't be
surprised if we saw FSI filing suit in the near future as well.)
Collective action is another such path. The PWDFLEXES group
(tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/pwdflexes) is trying to take action along
those lines.
"Interesting times" ...
Dave Cole REPLY TO: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cole Software WEB PAGE: http://www.colesoft.com
736 Fox Hollow Road VOICE: 540-456-8536
Afton, VA 22920 FAX: 540-456-6658
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