On Tue, 4 Jun 2002 08:46:09 +0200 "Zoki, mailinglist account" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > -----Message d'origine----- > > De : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]De la part de Kurt Wall > > Envoye : mardi 28 mai 2002 13:34 > > A : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Objet : Re: Linuxandmain > <snip> > > > > I find it a strange point of view for a site that is Linux > > > oriented and which apparently is very pro-software patents... > > > > I find free software monotonality very strange. And tiresome, > > boorish, and intellectually shallow. The proposition that someone > > who is pro-Linux cannot also support, or at least be open to the > > discussion of, software patents > > > *** So the choice is given to a chosen view to prevent others in the > near future from choosing what they want to... choose!?
No, of course not. In the case at hand, Red Hat have made their position quite clear. They filed their patent(s) as defensive measures. Now, whether or not such "defensive patents" are effective is a separate issue. Because the average cost to challenge a patent is a $1,000,000US, I'm not prepared to challenge the validity of Red Hat's patents. > One of Linux strong points being the community spirit, I think peoples > choices to use this system are based partly on its technical supremacy > and partly on the community spirit which allows great things to be a > achieved. I quite agree. > As far as I understood, the Linux community is *against* patents in > any form. I think that many in the Linux community oppose software patents. > A Linux site, by definition, represents the community, not an > individual and thusly can not act as a representative of the said > group and have opinions which are against its point of view. This will > otherwise discredit the group as a whole. Argh. Who, then, speaks for "the community"? Who shall we authorize to enunciate the party line? And who, pray tell, is going to have the audacity to come to my house and inform me that because I don't conform to "The Rules" I am no longer part of the community? What you are really saying is that I'm not part of the community unless I give up my own opinion. Sorry. I won't do that. "Unity through subservience" doesn't work very well. Whatever happened to the notion of "the loyal opposition?" With respect to Linux and Main, it is dep's site because he pays for it. It most certainly does not belong to the community. He's free to say and do what he pleases. > What can your arguments against patents and its bad influence be when > your representatives are either openly going the same way (Red Hat) or > sleeping with the devil (Linuxandmain)? I suppose my argument is that I speak for myself and that Red Hat speak for themselves. We don't speak for each other. I, at least, don't want someone telling me what to do, say, think, feel, or believe. > > (which does not equate to "non-free software," by the way) > > contravenes one of Linux's most basic themes: CHOICE. News flash: > > having CHOICE means I can choose not to adopt the free software > > party line. > > The difference of approach is the "I" in the last phrase. I was > looking at the issue more from a "we" point of view... Understood. I missed that. I think my point remains valid: "having choice means we can can choose not to adopt the free software party line." It also means there is room in "our" community for differences of opinion. I do not consider it vital that "we" engage in groupthink - indeed, if we did, we'd all still be waiting on GNU Hurd or continuing to pay our Microsoft tax. > As I said, we are not talking about an user, we are talking about a > Linux site, an institution if you want. It represents more than one > user. So in that context it has a function of representing what the > community, not "a user" stands for. Perhaps. Dep probably disagrees. He might be persuaded otherwise if someone from "the community" started to help him defray the costs of running Linux 'n' Main. > I do not think it has anything to do with liberty of choice but with > principals and having a clear agenda. Blessed be, Kurt _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list - http://linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Archives,and Digests are located at the above URL.
