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MS Has Free Software Removed From U.N. Paper

Posted by Zonk on from the dirty-pool dept.

linumax writes "Microsoft asked for references to free software to be removed from a document presented at last week's UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) conference, the software giant admitted on Friday. The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is unhappy that the document was changed and claims that even though it was on the panel discussing the document, it was not made aware of Microsoft's changes. The document (2.8MB PDF), known as the Vienna Conclusions, discusses issues around IT and creativity. The original draft of the document discussed how the free software model is changing the way people do business."

2 of 303 comments (clear)

  1. Tempest in a teapot by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Informative
    We're upset because this sentence:
    "Increasingly, revenue is generated not by selling content and digital works, as they can be freely distributed at almost no cost, but by offering services on top of them. The success of the free software model is one example,"
    got changed to this:
    "Increasingly, revenue is generated by offering services on top of contents,"
    These are U.N. peole (think University board members - only more useless) who play with words for a living.
    "Nothing to see here, move along."
    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  2. Background of the story by GeorgGreve · · Score: 5, Informative

    For those of you who are interested in the entire story and its background, here are the links:

    The best overall analysis and description of the situation so far was written by Germanys largest IT news provider, the Heise Verlag. They have the story online in both English and German.