[mdlug] Linspire caves in to Microsoft patent threat

[Ingles, Raymond]

> On 5/16/07, Michael Corral <micorral at comcast.net> wrote:

> > I especially like how they portray their surrender as "providing
> > choice to the user".

 I agree to an extent. People who advocate open-source software, and
discourage others from using closed-source software, are very different
from those using the legal system to try to prevent others from using
'patented' software. In that sense, I'd say Microsoft *is* "pointing a
gun to [Linspire's] head to use, or not use, any particular software or
alleged software patent".

 Of course, I don't see any concrete steps laid out in that letter. So
far as I can tell, he's just saying they'd be open to working with MS,
apparently to ensure "the software's legality". We'd have to see what
that actually meant.

> From: Wolfger

> Dunno. Since Ubuntu spawns from the "open source demagoguery" end of
> the spectrum (one of the few distros where you can't play mp3s out of
> the box, for example), I'm not sure why these two ever partnered in
> the first place. I expect this to drive a bit of a wedge between them.

 Because Linspire signed the docs and paid the fees and has the right to
legally distribute the codecs used by a large fraction of the web:

 http://catb.org/~esr/writings/world-domination/world-domination-201.html#id288946

 Getting one's hands dirty and accepting some proprietary, closed-source
software to accelerate adoption and help develop the market power to
demand open-source solutions is a pragmatic strategy, possibly even the
most likely strategy to succeed. I wouldn't use Linspire, but the "Codex"
mentioned in that article might be something I'd use.

 Sincerely,

 Ray Ingles                                                  (313) 227-2317

   "The only thing that was a miracle in that situation was the lightning
 that hit the plane. That was the act of God. If anything God was trying to
  kill these people. His plan was foiled by the crew's satanic competence."
                 - Jon Stewart on Flight 358 in Toronto

The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the named addressee or an authorized designee, you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you received it in error please notify us immediately and then destroy it.