Interview with Don Marti

mpawlo writes "I just picked Don Marti's brain in a short interview published by Greplaw. Don Marti is the editor of LinuxJournal and the mastermind behind the Burnallgifs campaign. He has strong views on free software, software patentability and the freedom of the Internet. Marti should personally be featured in any encyclopedia under 'geektivism' and the brief interview may be of interest to Slashdotters not yet familiar with Mr Marti."

Comments

Re:A few comments

[Matt - Duke '05]

"The intention and spirit of the references to the LIMITED monopoly over ideas in the constitution is clear enough for any of us who are bound to follow it to understand."

I'm sorry, but apparently you aren't one of those who are "bound to follow and understand" it. If you knew anthing about the topic, which clearly you don't, you would know that the strict "Jeffersonian" interpretation of the law is that "inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property." While what I have quoted doesn't explicitly state it, Jefferson felt that _IDEAS_, not their implementation mind you, should not be "owned." Thus, as you have said, there is a "limited monopoly over ideas" since we shouldn't be able to own them. However, Jefferson, and the other men who originally devised these laws, said NOTHING of their implementation. So, as you yourself has stated, there is no such monopoly there.

So, in response to your pedantic post, yes, I would be overly concerned with "making sure people who spend a lot of many make a profit." They spent a good deal of money expanding on an idea that someone (presumably not themselves) envisioned, and made it a reality. If these said people made a lot of money, and patented their specific implementation of an idea, then GOOD FOR THEM. Find your own fucking implementation and patent it. Otherwise don't disgrace Jefferson by misrepresenting his views on the issue.