● 07.10.11

●● What We Can Do to Improve Things

Posted in Microsoft, Novell, Patents at 4:53 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: For technologists and so-called ‘consumers’ alike, we need to embrace a non-violent and minimally abrasive form of protest, including boycotts

CIVIL disobedience is one of the friendliest forms of protest (if it even qualifies as that). Boycott Novell would be elusive now that Novell no longer exists. People must remember that back in 2006 (and half of 2007) Novell was the only company that paid Microsoft for Linux; moreover, Novell did what no company to date has done. Novell actually used Microsoft’s patent accusations against Linux in order to sell its products. Novell was definitely the only company of its kind to boycott back then. When Samsung signed a patent deal covering Linux, then too we called for a boycott of Samsung. Novell was treated fairly compared to other companies, but now that Microsoft extorts many small Android vendors we need to rethink our strategy. Back in 2006 it was Novell that went to Microsoft looking to sign a deal; based on these days’ reports, it is Microsoft that goes hunting distributors of Android, so to vocally boycott those who are victims would be tactless. We urge people never to buy any products from companies that pay Microsoft for Linux (a boycott too is an effective form of protest), but at the same time we must stand up against US law and protest against software patents by ignoring their applicability, ridiculing them, and shaming politicians who help promote these. This is a polite form of protest, which is the only sort of protest we ever advocated in Techrights. It is most likely to be fruitful, but we sure expect to continue receiving flak. Someone has to do it. █

Share in other sites/networks: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Permalink  Send this to a friend

----------

➮ Sharing is caring. Content is available under CC-BY-SA.