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German Linux Community Boycotting LinuxTag
em8chel writes "LinuxTag, Germany's major fair for Linux and Free Software, is facing a massive boycott from open source enthusiasts in the country this year. Although the event doesn't open for a week, the community is voicing their anger and disappointment on various forums about this year's LinuxTag running under the auspices of Wolfgang Schaeuble, the conservative Minister of Interior, whose positions on issues of interest to the community are controversial to say the very least. Due to online protests and calls for a boycott, the organizer of LinuxTag has released a statement (German version, serviceable Google translation), holding that the politician's policies and political views have nothing to do with supporting free software, adding that if the community boycotts LinuxTag, it's the open source software that will be hit the hardest, and that Schaeuble probably won't even notice."
And boycotts are for withholding your money from companies that care about the bottom line. Linux is free and based on mutual benefit through cooperation so by not using every opportunity to refine the community in-general - such as the LinuxTag event - the boycott actually detracts from the very qualities that make open-source so nice.
Shh.
That's Digital Consumer Enablement for you. C'mon, do them the favor, I'm pretty sure they had to spend a small fortune for that streamlined, spiffy new name.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Where's the tracker for that torrent?
Nothing to see here. Move along.
One time they tried to infect a suspects PC with a Trojan on a CD-ROM.
What's wrong with distributing genuine Windows XP install media?
cpghost at Cordula's Web.
See my small cartoon: http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2007/05 /chiefgeek_wolfg.html
Bye,
Oliver
"Usually, though, such people seek professional help, not a political career."
;)
Perhaps, he too, is an opportunist.