🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <42031@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> 
|          jbuck@janus.Berkeley.EDU (Joe Buck) writes:
| In article <1991May2.170621.4755@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov>
|            kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley) writes:

... deleted quite a bit of stuff...
 
| >If FSF's real reason for boycotting Apple is because of Apples litigation
| >stance, should FSF boycott any and all Intel hardware because of Intels' 
| >current litigious behavior toward AMD?
| 
| No, because Intel's behavior does not in any way threaten FSF's program.
| FSF is, in effect, fighting for its own long-term survival, which is
| directly threatened by user-interface copyright and software patent
| litigation.

Actually, if you think about it for a minute or two, you might see
some similarities between Intel trying to protect their monopoly on
producing the 386 and Apple's protecting the specific graphical
elements of their user interface.  Both companies are trying to keep
others from competing by legally blocking others from making similar
products.  Also, in both cases, the suits are over disputed contracts,
not over the copyrightability of either the 386 instruction set, or
the Macintosh user interface's look & feel.

Apple has never tried to sue the FSF for X Windows, and I doubt that
they would.  However, AT&T is trying to get everyone who uses X
Windows to pay them royalty fees.  Doesn't it seem that the FSF should
boycott AT&T products?

Why doesn't the FSF publish their demands from Apple, so that everyone
in the whole world can see what they are?  All I ever seem to read
from members of the FSF about Apple, are cheap shots and insults.

Also, why doesn't the FSF boycott any other hardware companies which
are doing things that the FSF doesn't like?

Lastly, what are the FSF's guidelines for deciding to boycott a
company?  I still wonder if the reason the FSF is boycotting Apple is
because it is convenient -- the vast majority of Apple users are
*uninterested* in using the FSF's software!  Try boycotting AT&T, or
Intel or some other company who's hardware you are actually using!

Just for reference, I am not in favor of user interface copyrights or
software patents, and I am a member of the LPF.


RMS, can you post answers to some of these questions?  What are the
FSF's demands from Apple?  What are the FSF's guidelines for deciding
to boycott a company? 

--Haydn

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;;  *****************************************************
;;  *  Haydn Huntley    huntley@copper.ucs.indiana.edu  *
;;  *****************************************************