Re: Linux desktop push could benefit disabled (fwd)

[Kirk Wood <cpt.kirk@1tree.net>]

Don't feel bad, apperently the "whole" open source community thinks that
the sky is going to fall over the latest W3 consideration. You see if one
takes time to read it, they will realize that what it does is allow some
macroslop person to not lose all rights to info that is shared while
working at the W3 labs at MIT. Currently if a researcher for a company
goes to MIT for joint work, any input they give will imediately becoem the
property of MIT. This is looking to change that.

The next thing is something to be somewhat concerned with. While I think
it worth your time to voice an opinion to congress people, it will not be
the end of the world. First, there has to be a standard. Second, once the
standard is in place open source can impliment it. The ability of a bright
individual being able to disable said restriction would in no way impact
the product. This would be akin for someone suing macroslop cause someone
found a way to get arround the country limitation on DVDs.

It might become illegal to modify your software to work arround the
standard. It might (probably will) be illegal for you to tell others how
to disable the copyright protection. But it won't make linux in its
entirety illegal. It won't keep someone from using the current
technology. It (again) isn't the end of the world.

We also should not think that a project would be dead (gnome 2) just
because sun dumps it from their plate. Gnome started without sun. It can
continue with it. Sure the help is good. Sure we should be glad for
corperate help. But speakup should be proof enough that corperations are
not the answer to accesibility. In fact, it is proof they are the wrong
answer most of the time.

=======
Kirk Wood
Cpt.Kirk@1tree.net

"When I take action, I'm not going to fire a $2 million missle at
a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It's going to be decisive."
	- President George Bush