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Use Open Source? Then You're a Pirate!

superapecommando writes "There's a fantastic little story in the Guardian today that says a US lobby group is trying to get the US government to consider open source as the equivalent to piracy. The International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), an umbrella group for American publishing, software, film, television and music associations, has asked the US Trade Representative (USTR) to consider countries like Indonesia, Brazil, and India for its 'Special 301 watchlist' because they encourage the use of open source software. A Special 301, according to Guardian's Bobbie Johnson is: 'a report that examines the "adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights" around the planet — effectively the list of countries that the US government considers enemies of capitalism. It often gets wheeled out as a form of trading pressure — often around pharmaceuticals and counterfeited goods — to try and force governments to change their behaviors.'"

41 of 650 comments (clear)

  1. if everyone ignored the quacks... by Em+Emalb · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then the world would be a better place. Although, I kinda like the idea of being a pirate. I've always wanted to sail the open seas, plundering vessels, going ashore and plundering the village's wenches. AARRGGG.

    --
    Sent from your iPad.
    1. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, ignoring the quacks with influence is just ducking the issue.

    2. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Em+Emalb · · Score: 5, Funny

      that's a good way to run afowl of the law.

      --
      Sent from your iPad.
    3. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Abcd1234 · · Score: 5, Funny

      AARRGGG.

      Dude... "arg"? What kind of pirate says "arg"? Everyone knows it's "ARRRRR!" Other valid alternatives include: YARRRR, YUHARRR, or other variations therefore. A trailing G should only be used in cases of pain or discomfort. For example: "AAARG, I've been run through by ye blade!", or "ARRRG, I think that wench had ye crotch rot".

    4. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


      Dude... "arg"? What kind of pirate says "arg"?

      A pirate who just had a cutlass jammed through his chest.

      .

      --
      Trolling is a art,
    5. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Rene+S.+Hollan · · Score: 2, Funny

      Remember though, its "rape, pillage, and burn" and not "pillage, burn, and rape".

      --
      In Liberty, Rene
    6. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by socceroos · · Score: 5, Funny

      Parent is right, then you're either thrown in jail or slapped with a hefty bill.

    7. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by socceroos · · Score: 5, Funny

      The question then is: waddle we do about it?

    8. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Funny

      The other good news is that being a pirate allows you to do your part in combating global warming, since, as this graph clearly shows, an increase in the number of pirates will decrease average global temperature.

      --
      I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    9. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Thud457 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dude... "arg"? What kind of pirate says "arg"?

      obviously a C-faring pirate!

      --

      the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    10. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Binestar · · Score: 4, Funny

      Meh, I say just flock them all.

      --
      Do you Gentoo!?
    11. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by M8e · · Score: 2, Funny

      What an afowl yolk.

    12. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Funny

      So you're saying the OP was run through while writing his post? Then he wouldn't have bothered to type "AARRRGH", he would have just said it!

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    13. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by BancBoy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Enough of this canard!

      --
      [UID-HeinzIntel]
    14. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Gabrosin · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's a very mallardramatic thing to say.

    15. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Arthur+Grumbine · · Score: 4, Funny

      Dude... "arg"? What kind of pirate says "arg"?

      A pirate who just had a cutlass jammed through his chest. .

      Your complete lack of perspective on a pirate's pain threshold identifies you clearly as a ninja sympathizer.

      --
      Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
    16. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by yukk · · Score: 2, Funny

      The other good news is that being a pirate allows you to do your part in combating global warming, since, as this graph clearly shows, an increase in the number of pirates will decrease average global temperature.

      Hmm, I was worried about this with "Global Warming" happening at the same time as all the Somali Pirates, but it's working out now. They've changed the term to "Climate Change" and it's been a lovely, cool Summer here in Melbourne. None of this 45 Celcius junk they were having before these pirates got going. May his noodly appendages continue to move in their mysterious ways.

      --
      The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." Lily Tomlin
    17. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Jarjarthejedi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Perhaps he was dictating?

      --
      There are two kinds of fool One says 'This is old therefore good' Another says 'This is new therefore better'- Dean Ing
    18. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by dwiget001 · · Score: 3, Funny

      After I searched the web, I crawled back into my nest and slept.

      I was hoping that I would hatch an idea that would take wing and solve this problem.

      But I just ended up with egg on my face.

    19. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Darinbob · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't like the tern this thread has taken.

    20. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Blue+Stone · · Score: 5, Funny

      Make an eggsample of them?

      --
      Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
    21. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by TheGreenNuke · · Score: 2, Funny

      You'll see him about the same time you see Jesus' Brother Bob

    22. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Angostura · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, pluck them.... then stuff them

    23. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by Rarzipace · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm just worried they'll succeed in getting their drake-conian copyright enforcement laws passed in my country.

    24. Re:if everyone ignored the quacks... by AlamedaStone · · Score: 2, Funny

      The only sure thing is that somewhere, a village is missing its idiot.

      Nothing a hammer couldn't fix.

      When all you have is a hammer, all the idiots start to look like nails.

      --
      "All these years believing you're the signified monkey, only to find out you're just a big hunk of nobody cares."
  2. Re:If you use open source, you're a pirate... by medv4380 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then you got a lil Captain in ya

  3. Re:If you use open source, you're a pirate... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You get a free pirate eye patch signed by Linus Torvalds.

  4. Re:Seriously flawed logic by pclminion · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you think I would prefer a bug report over a beer then you have some serious brain damage.

  5. Re:Aaaarrrrggg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    spanish_main( int arrrrrgc, char *arrrrrgv[] )

  6. Re:now they fight FOSS by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Looks like something screwy happened and turned all your number values into their ASCII characters.

    I really doubt you're only the 78th person to have said that.

  7. Re:Can I sue the IIPA for defamation? by zonky · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, but only in the UK.

  8. Pirates are communists? by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 4, Funny

    I am getting confused here. I thought pirates shuttled old men and their boy toys to Alderaan? But now you are saying we are like Che Guevara?

    Either way, our chances of getting laid any time soon just sky-rocketed. We are now officially "bad boys". Rebel with a compile.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  9. Translation: Freedom is the Enemy by Jackie_Chan_Fan · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wish i could open source some of these people's skulls with an axe.

  10. Re:Aaaarrrrggg by Tetsujin · · Score: 2, Funny

    spanish_main( int arrrrrgc, char *arrrrrgv[] )

    That's funny shit right there.

    Yeah, he forgot spanish_main()'s return type!

    --
    Bow-ties are cool.
  11. Re:If you use open source, you're a pirate... by operagost · · Score: 3, Funny

    Me too, for other reasons.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  12. Re:If you use open source, you're a pirate... by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's what she said!

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    Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  13. Prophetic troll post from years gone by by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Linux is illegal! You are breaking the law, and hurting yourself and your family with your ILLEGAL SOFTWARE. Your ip has been noted and is being forwarded to the SPA with a reccomendation that they investigate your CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. Please destroy all your unpatriotic linux software before the government finally cracks down on you people and you all end up as lampshades or soap.

  14. Re:I thought open source was communism? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 2, Funny

    OSS != communism

    No, OSS is the Open Sound System, which is the standard way sound interface for UNIX-like operating systems. Not sure why you think that's relevant though...

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  15. Re:Should be named... by grcumb · · Score: 3, Funny

    Here is what that haven of piracy Canada has to say about it when they were put on the list: "Canada does not recognize the Special 301 process due to its lacking of reliable and objective analysis, and we have raised this issue regularly with the U.S. in our bilateral discussions." Even our mild mannered neighborino to the North told them to go suck an egg.

    Well, actually, the first draft of the response went like this:

    CHORUS OF MOUNTIES AND ESKIMOS: FUUUUCK-ALUKALUKA YOOOOUU-HOO!

    The editor of the document, however, was a Presbyterian second-son of the Empire, and translated it back into Ontarian for publication.

    --
    Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
  16. finally, this is on topic, sort of by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Boobies!

  17. Re:The IIPA is genuinely scary though. by imakemusic · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'd rather use Linux than what Microsoft secreted.

    --
    Brain surgery - it's not rocket science!