"Hopefully this particular bit of history won't replay itself."
The trouble is, it *does* and *will continue* to replay itself, at least as long as serious money stands to be made from it. We've seen some major players in the industry (cough, cough, any RAM people wanna raise their hands) try to pull slick ones in this area, and it's undoubtedly not the last we'll hear of such activity.
In today's hardware market, you have three options (1) be the leader, (2) follow the leader, and (3) sue the leader. Now, of couse we'd all prefer corporations with sway to choose either options 1 or 2, and to cooperate nicely if option 2 is chosen. This doesn't seem to work very well in practice, however. We seem to see periods of happy cooperation, marked with spikes in litigious urges being manifested in ugly ways.
It seems, though, that we're headed to a point where hardware matters less and less, and software matters much more (many would say that we've been at that point for a *long* time). Which is why supporting free software is of critical importance to me individually, as well as most people I work with (and most of/. as well).
Frankly, I'm more worried about waging my wars on the battlegrounds of senseless IP lawsuits and dangerous software patent legislation (message to Europe: please don't go there).
All replies, flames, and corrections VERY welcome:).
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"Hopefully this particular bit of history won't replay itself."
The trouble is, it *does* and *will continue* to replay itself, at least as long as serious money stands to be made from it. We've seen some major players in the industry (cough, cough, any RAM people wanna raise their hands) try to pull slick ones in this area, and it's undoubtedly not the last we'll hear of such activity.
In today's hardware market, you have three options (1) be the leader, (2) follow the leader, and (3) sue the leader. Now, of couse we'd all prefer corporations with sway to choose either options 1 or 2, and to cooperate nicely if option 2 is chosen. This doesn't seem to work very well in practice, however. We seem to see periods of happy cooperation, marked with spikes in litigious urges being manifested in ugly ways.
It seems, though, that we're headed to a point where hardware matters less and less, and software matters much more (many would say that we've been at that point for a *long* time). Which is why supporting free software is of critical importance to me individually, as well as most people I work with (and most of
Frankly, I'm more worried about waging my wars on the battlegrounds of senseless IP lawsuits and dangerous software patent legislation (message to Europe: please don't go there).
All replies, flames, and corrections VERY welcome