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.
I was just about to post a goatse link to the last article under a 5, insightful post, and I previewed my comment, and Goatse.cx had closed in protest of software patents.
No, im not posting the link, go check it out for yourself, if you're a regular at slashdot you know the URL.
Go Jellybob! Finally, someone with a bit of sense, and not 14-year-old-like-look-at-me-i'll-cut-off-my-nose-t o-spite-my-face-knee-jerk reaction.
Your friend, C.
Until someone can satisfactorily explain to me how this legislation will affect American sites and developers based entirely in the United States, I see no reason why Slashdot or any other company on this side of the pond should participate in the protest.
Dubya's resume:
* I attacked and took over two countries.
* I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the Treasury.
* I shattered the record for biggest annual deficit in history.
* I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
* I set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market.
* I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner.
* I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.
* In my first year in office Iset the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history.
* After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, Ipresided over the worst security failure in US history.
* I set the record for most campaign fundraising trips by any president in US history.
* In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their jobs.
* I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work Americans than any other president in US history.
* I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
* I appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history.
* I set the record for the fewest press conferences of any president since the advent of TV.
* I signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any other president in US history.
* I presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed.
* I presided over the highest gasoline prices in US history and refused to use the national reserves as past presidents have.
* I cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.
* I set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind
* I dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.
* I 've made my presidency the most secretive and unaccountable of any in US history.
* Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history. (The 'poorest' multimillionaire, Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.)
* I am the first president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.
* I presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud in any market in any country in the history of the world.
* I am the first president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation, and Idid so against the will of the United Nations and the world community.
* I have created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States.
* I set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any other president in US history.
* I am the first president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the Human Rights Commission.
* I am the first president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the Elections Monitoring Board.
* I removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of Congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history.
* I rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant.
* I withdrew from the World Court of Law.
* I refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions.
* I am the first president in US history to refuse United Nations election inspectors access during the 2002 US elections.
* I am the all-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations.
* The biggest lifetime contributor to my campaign, who is also one of my best friends, presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CE
These site shutting down in protest is not very professional. This is one of the problems with the free software community, politics plays too heavy of a role in their actions.
If I go to set up a Linux-doodad for a client, and I can't download WINE because the authors are making a big stink about software patents, then guess what? Here comes Windows.
Moderators, do your worst.
I will refuse to post goatse links until slashdot closes down! Instead i will crapflood every article with the message "CLOSE SLASHDOT" until they repsond. I hope you help too.
I'll shut mine too!
I couldn't care less about them patents!
But now I finally have some time to make the switch to PHP.
when the shit hits the fan, it is not equally spread
I'm going to be modded down as a troll, but I believe that software patents protect developer jobs in the U.S. and Europe from being outsourced to India. If you're a software developer and you file patents, you're much more valuable to your company than some Indian programmer. These Indians are not going to be working on stuff than can be patented, so any developers who worked on patentable software development is much less likely to lose his job to overseas outsourcing.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart