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For those who want/use Knoppix

post #1 of 6
9/7/03 at 1:23am
Thread Starter 
Not sure if this has made the rounds yet or not, but I headed out to download the latest version of Knoppix this evening when I was reached with a disclaimer threating the very existance of applications such as these.

Head on over to http://www.knoppix.com to see what I'm talking about.

Also, be sure to grab a copy just in case it does get shut down.

This is affecting a lot of the open source community and I suggest you take note/action.

Just another example:

MPlayer for Linux
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/
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post #2 of 6
9/7/03 at 12:23pm

great post!

...from the website...
Quote:
Closed because of "Software-Patents"

In the next few days, the European Parliament will decide about the legalisation and adoption of so-called "software patents" in Europe, which are already used by large companies in other countries to put competitors out of business. This can lead to the termination of many software projects such as KNOPPIX, at least within Europe, because the holders of the over 30,000 already granted "software patents" (currently without a legal foundation) can claim exclusive rights and collect license fees for trivial things like "progress bars", "mouseclicks on online order forms", "scrolling within a window" and similar. That way, software developers will have to pay the "software-patentholders" for using these features, even in their own, completely self-developed applications, which can completely stall the development of innovative software for small and medium companies. Apart from this, the expense for patent inquiries and legal assistence is high, for even trying to find out if the self-developed software is possibly violating "software-patents", if you want to continue to market your software. Contrary to real patents, "software-patents" are, in the current draft, monopolization of business ideas and methods, even without any tangible technical implementation.

More about the current major problem at swpat.ffii.org
This can be a CRITICAL blow for European developers! And if there are bilateral agreements with the U.S. this will need to be fought by MS, Apple, etc... I don't think it will last, but it's a frightening thing that it even made it this far.

-myrkat
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post #3 of 6
9/7/03 at 12:51pm
http://f.moya.scarywater.net

BitTorrent Files for Slashdot Effect Victims

They've got Knoppix 3.2.
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post #4 of 6
9/7/03 at 1:13pm
Damn I love Knoppix.

Is there anyway they can move the project to a different country so's don't have to deal with this crap?
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post #5 of 6
9/11/03 at 9:50am
Firstly a *bump* for the post.

The best way to fight this sort of crap is to get the message out to others who you know. We need something like blaster worms with the message as the payload

The second way is to ring + fax (email is too easy to delete) your own congressperson, member of parliament, local mafia boss. Anyone of influence in the legislative process. Tell them what you think of this sort of proposal. Better still tell them what it will be like if they can't use their computer anymore because it violates patent law.

Edit: After calming down I removed my flame about the Totalitarianistic (what a word) leanings of the Europeans. Flaming that which already is, helps no one. Better to work towards a solution. So what is the solution?

I feel better now - thanks for listening.
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post #6 of 6
9/19/03 at 12:35pm
http://newsforge.com/newsforge/03/09...2.shtml?tid=17
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