🚀 go-pugleaf

jeffrey@algor2.algorists.com (Jeffrey Kegler) writes:
[fretting over software patents, hoping courts realize the nonsense]
> ...It could take them a decade, however.  In the meantime, the
> US software industry could be in turmoil.  And the chances that our
> foreign competition will be this stupid, vile and self-destructive are
> terribly close to zero.

Good point.  I think it's a particularly valuable perspective because it
is an argument which can be presented to legislators and even to the
general public.  If you tell lawmakers that software patents threaten you,
but the lobbyists for huge corporations tell them otherwise, the best
result you'll get is "they're just squabbling over the spoils; let them
fight it out."  If you tell them that what's going on is likely to lose the
USA its leadership position in software, you may be able to get their
attention--ESPECIALLY if you point out that we've already lost most of our
hardware leadership and may never regain it.  Software is one of a few
areas we're still holding on.

(Note to those offended by apparent nationalistic tone of preceding para-
graph:  (1) Sorry, but that's the way US Congress thinks.  (2)  The point
is not "beat the Japanese [Koreans, whoever]..." but "let's not quit the
high-tech game out of sheer avarice/stupidity.")

> Is there any consideration of a boycott against AT&T?  I would hate
> the idea of going back to their long distance competition, but poor
> long distance service is a small price to pay to preserve a rational
> software industry.

I don't know that a boycott is sensible, let alone workable, but thinking
hypothetically for a moment...if you're going to talk boycott, think more
selectively.  Two reasons for that:
	- Hurting long-distance business doesn't convey the message you
	  want to convey about software patents.  The connection is too
	  indirect.
	- Take aim at a narrow area and you can have more effect.  If you
	  aimed at the whole company, you might alter their bottom line by,
	  oh, say 0.0001%.  That doesn't convey a message.  If, instead,
	  you pick some part of their business where software people have
	  more say in purchases, you might affect that one area enough to
	  be noticed.
Playing Lear against the storm may be good theater, but it doesn't get the
results you want.
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd@ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...But is it art?