CTKArch

Hello everybody,

Today I found this e-mail in my inbox: ompldr.org/vOTY1Mg (this is the orginal mail as an eml file, edit: text-only there)

My answer was to be expected.

Quote: Calimero

---

Hello,

First off, what you call "open source" is not what I am interested in.
When used by companies, those words are misused, when not abused.

I would like to introduce you to Free Software. Free as in free speech,
not as in free beer, by the way.
This is the kind of software I want to support.

If you really do support Free software, then don't say "Open source".

Your words about open source sure are pleasant, but I see the PDFs
attached to your e-mail are entitled "Microsoft Word - …" and this
e-mail was delivered by a Lotus server.
My apologies, but when you will start using the software you say you're
defending, I might consider your offer more seriously.

In my opinion, whoever holds them, software patents are the worst thing
that ever happened to human innovation.
I consider patents as a threat against free software, and even yours, no
matter how benevolent you wish to seem.

We all pursue our own vision of freedom. Yours is “open”, whilst mine is
« libre ».

All the best

---

I feel a bit sorry though.
What's your opinion about this?

I think you're right, and give them a good answer...
CTKArch doesn't need to be "protected" by patents because it contents only softwares that are already protected by GPL (or equal).
OIN seems to be this kind of society that try to make money with softwares made by others; I don't like to see the name of "Sony", "Novell",... on their website...

Quote:

---

Your words about open source sure are pleasant, but I see the PDFs
attached to your e-mail are entitled "Microsoft Word - …" and this
e-mail was delivered by a Lotus server.
My apologies, but when you will start using the software you say you're
defending, I might consider your offer more seriously.

---

ha ha ha! very good...
it seems like "do what I say, don't do what I do"...

Note that making money by offering services related to free software is (to me, at least), a very good thing.
Of course, the problem is with closed source; it's impossible to know whether there is free software in it or not.

But this has nothing to do with what we're talking about here.
The point is that these societies are trying to gather all the patents they can that threaten free software, in order to (that's what they say) protect it.
But power is dangerous.
I prefer no power to a huge power, even if it's in the "good" hands. One never knows, they might change their mind.
Or, more presumably, just choose who has the right of joining and who hasn't.

As always, owning patents allows to sue other companies.

"Note that making money by offering services related to free software is (to me, at least), a very good thing."
I know, it's a part of my job; when I install, maintain, or fix free softwares, the bill is only about work duration, software is marked 0€.

"I prefer no power to a huge power, even if it's in the "good" hands. One never knows, they might change their mind."
I have in mind the problem of OpenOffice and Oracle...