Re: Red Hat on patent FUD

[RonB]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2009 04:38:19 -0500, Roy Schestowitz  
<newsgroups@schestowitz.com> wrote:

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> ____/ Doug Mentohl on Tuesday 17 March 2009 18:49 : \____
>
> > 'the purpose of this portfolio is defensive .. because of the threats of
> > companies that are hostile to FOSS and that have amassed large
> > stockpiles of overbroad patents'
> >
> > 'Although there have been some recent questions about one of our patent
> > applications relating to the AMQP specification, they appear to
> > originate in an attempt to spread FUD. There’s no reasonable, objective
> > basis for controversy'
> >
> > http://www.press.redhat.com/2009/03/17/discouraging-software-patent-lawsuits/
>
> It's not really FUD.
>
> The former head of the FFII is sure to publicise information which  
> suggests that Red Hat is not or was not serious about ending software  
> patents. People should not let them off the hook so easily.

So... are you against any commercial sales of Linux? Red Hat has stated  
(over and over) that their patents are for defensive purposes. The company  
depends on open source development to survive. Do you think that, at some  
point, they'll say "Okay, we can take it from here, no more open  
development... it's all ours now" Have they done ANYTHING to indicate that  
this is the direction they will be going in the future?

Some people seem to be willing to cut off their noses to spite their face.  
I just don't get it.

--
RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"