Yes, but these also target Open Source, if you think about it. DeCSS? Encryption?? Dimitry? All of these affect the Open Source community. Anything that infringes upon the ability of programmers to create and freely distribute their work falls within the concern of an Open Source lobby.
This is particularly true when companies like MS call Open Source a "cancer" and unleash truckloads of FUD every day. Something has to combat that, and it isn't going to be the occassional geek writing to his or her Congressional representatives. It's going to take a concerted effort to educate our government about Open Source, and about the policical issues than can help or hinder its growth. These issue are more than just a right to create Open Source software -- it includes fostering an environment where it is possible to write and distribute the software (which is where overlap with EFF comes in). Sadly, Open Source cannot flourish particularly well in a society ruled by huge, anti-competitive corporations -- and increasingly restrictive laws designed to "protect" us. The only way to combat this situation is through educating and building relationships with people in power.
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This is particularly true when companies like MS call Open Source a "cancer" and unleash truckloads of FUD every day. Something has to combat that, and it isn't going to be the occassional geek writing to his or her Congressional representatives. It's going to take a concerted effort to educate our government about Open Source, and about the policical issues than can help or hinder its growth. These issue are more than just a right to create Open Source software -- it includes fostering an environment where it is possible to write and distribute the software (which is where overlap with EFF comes in). Sadly, Open Source cannot flourish particularly well in a society ruled by huge, anti-competitive corporations -- and increasingly restrictive laws designed to "protect" us. The only way to combat this situation is through educating and building relationships with people in power.