Slashdot Mirror
Sites Shut Down to Protest Software Patents
blueser writes "I went today to TUTOS homepage to check for a newer version, and I was surprised to see that the author replaced the homepage by a 'Closed because of Software-Patents' page, with a brief explanation." Just one site? that's hardly a big deal, but there's more. maliabu writes "Knoppix is closed, apparently waiting for the European Parliament to decide about the legalisation and adoption of so-called 'software patents' in Europe." And still more. SLbigE writes "The Wine HQ website has temporarily shut down its webpage in protest to a proposed law in Europe regarding Software Patents." There's many more sites as well, these were just the first I was alerted to, Feel free to note some more in comments. Looks like they're doing a good job of illustrating what could be lost soon.
Microsoft was planning on replacing there page to protest as well. Unfortunately now they are hosted on Unix, they don't have anyone in the company smart enough, who knows how to change the home page.
looks like the petition is down to protest against slashdottings!
save the GNUs!
SCO obviously felt so strongly about this that they got started a few days early! They're good folks, always doing their best for the community.
"Are you being weird, or sarcastic?" said Emma. I said I didn't know because I get the two feelings mixed up.
Surely keeping slashdot ONLINE is better for halting the internet? :)
Seriously though, the EU are very pro open source, especially Germany. Why would they shoot themselves in the foot by helping commercial offerings and hindering free ones?
My site, http://goatse.cx was also shut down. Needles to say the politicians in Brussels were in a state of panic and despair yesterday and we now expect this law to be thrown out. We just had to show them what they'd lose if they passed it.
Sincerely,
Goatse Man
And soon after, heard like some weird air raid siren, from the all the unemployed geeks, "Noooooooooooo!"
They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
The closure of Slashdot in a protest against patients has resulted in a huge boost of productivity in the IT industry as IT workers have nothing better to do than work. The government is now looking at more ways to get slashdot closed down.
I am issuing an immediate cease and disist order re: my patent #654335436543
Which states in part:
"A method or system for demonstrating political opinions through an electronic medium."
You bastards all owe me money!
And windows never crash. They simply replaced their desktop page with the statement, which provides debugging information (A.K.K BSOD). Hardly crashing.
1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d
/tim
Worse case senario: Free software is defeated.
Free software goes underground. Geeks start sharing software through encrypted peer to peer networks. Non-geeks end up buying high priced crud from M$.
M$ and the RIAA companies get richer, and root out the last vestiges of free software on the net. Geeks build elaborate screen savers that look like a M$ windoze box - for when guests are around, but run Linux and free software underneath the hood.
The Senate convenes a new 'Un-American Activities' commitee, and brings prominent geeks in for public 'questioning' (ridicule). These geeks are blacklisted, and can not find work. This serves to make other geeks 'tow the line', or at least pretend to.
After a decade of low wages, persecution, and social programs intent on 'Microsoftizing' the populance, the well of available geeks runs dry. Geeks, themselves, no longer pass on the arcane subjects of computers to their children, instead opting to teach them candle making, and send them to seminary.
Over the next 20 years all remaining geeks retire from the workforce. There are no new systems built. All existing systems are kept running by non-geeks who use cargo-cult methods, not really understanding how it works. If a system breaks down - it does not get fixed. Slowly the network deteriorates; world wide communications become extinct. The Digital Dark Age lasts for ten thousand years, until some proto-geek reinvents the computer and the silicon chip.
Is this the future we want for our children? Make a difference - now!
Lodragan Draoidh
The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
I wonder if SCO is joining the protest, their website seems to be down lately a lot too!
It's up right now. Perhaps if enough slashdotters could visit them and help them protest a bit more?
Microsoft Patents Ones and Zeros
[news for me, stuff that doesn't matter]