Re: [Hamlib-developer] [Off-topic] Put off by MS advertising

[Nate B. <n0...@bl...>]

On Monday 01 October 2007 21:45:53 Martin Ewing - AA6E wrote:
> Nate,
>
>    I understand your position.  But the other way to look at it is "how
> have the mighty fallen".  MS is reduced to advertising on sf.net! How
> much value are they going to get from that?

Point taken, but this is an illegal, predatory monopoly that has sworn to 
destroy Free Software by any means necessary at its disposal.  The "deal" 
with Novell last year was simply the crack they were looking for to divide 
and conquer the Free Software community.  Did you read the recent Groklaw 
article on Novell?  

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070930081040440

>    My vote is not to change servers unless there is some important
> objective benefit to the project.  We are trying to perform a service
> for the amateur radio community.  Beyond that, we probably all have our
> strong personal views on many subjects.  (Is SF using green servers?  Do
> they pay a living wage?  Etc.)

I appreciate your pragmatism, Martin.  As I sit here, by holding pat we are 
tacitly endorsing a non-free, proprietary program from an illegal, predatory 
monopoly.  The fact that the advertising block says, "This SF.net email is 
sponsored by: Microsoft" is especially troubling to me.

>    Better to stay neutral on OS wars.  As you point out, we claim to be
> multi-platform, multi-OS!

This isn't a mere OS war--it is far more important.  MS wants to outlaw what 
we are doing in this project because they can't abide the very existence of 
the GPL.  They have stated as much many times over the past decade.  Our very 
legal ability to carry this project forward into the future may be at stake.

>    Somehow someone has to pay for SF.  The advertising is a little
> annoying to me (whichever company), but I can live with it. I am sure
> they would like to have more contributions from users.  (I sent them
> something a while back.)

I never said anything about the advertising until it was MS pushing its wares 
at us Free Software developers ON OUR MAILING LIST.  I find it offensive that 
this site would stoop to that level.  If they wish to shill for MS on the SF 
front page or on their own development pages, that's their business, but when 
they start forcing the One Microsoft Way into the hosted projects email 
lists, that's another matter entirely, IMO.  Personally, I feel they have 
greatly diminished my trust.

What next?  Do they start pushing advertisements into our source files via 
their CVS (maybe I shouldn't give them ideas)?  This site works on trust.  We 
have to trust that SF will respect the code we place in their repositories.  
However, if they have cozied up to Microsoft AND they have sole control of 
CVS, then I fear we must watch our files very carefully for unauthorized code 
(perhaps not Hamlib so much as other more high profile projects) that would 
make our project (and us) liable for patent infringement.  If I can think of 
it, MS has surely thought of it long ago.  An empire is most dangerous when 
it is in collapse.

I will not do anything regarding Hamlib unless and until there is a clear 
majority of the developers of Hamlib that wish to make a change.  I am, 
however, weighing my personal options very carefully.

73, de Nate >>

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