brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (09/25/86)
I got a call today from a travelling professor from the University of Capetown, South Africa. They had had difficulty importing a programming environment I make called ALICE Pascal. He wanted to know if I could help. At first, I said I didn't wish to sell my software to within South Africa. He then pointed out that this particular university was a champion against apartheid, and in fact had recently won the right to admit non-white students. He further said that due to the poorer education offered young blacks in the public school system, they were allowed admission without the same academic requirements and given special courses to bring them up to the level of the white public education. He said he would send me information on the University's fight, including documentation on how the government contstantly tries to interfere with the anti-aparteid factions there. So two questions arise. 1) How can one verify that this is the truth? 2) If it is, should a refusal to sell to South Africans be general, or should you make exceptions where you can? I want my software to assist in the education of as many as possible, but at the same time I don't want to help educate one race group at the expense of another. Comments? What would you do if it were your software? -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
jmsellens@watdragon.UUCP (John M Sellens) (10/01/86)
I'm surprised that Brad's article hasn't yet provoked a huge flurry of response. So I'll wade into the (whatever - I lost my train of analogy): In article <674@looking.UUCP> brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) writes: >1) How can one verify that this is the truth? The Canadian gov't has agencies that help people export stuff (Export Development agency?) - perhaps they could provide some info. Or External Affairs? There's probably some organization in Toronto working at fighting apartheid - is there an ANC branch? >2) If it is, should a refusal to sell to South Africans be general, or >should you make exceptions where you can? I, personally, have trouble with this boycott idea. I have heard blacks from South Africa speak both for and against boycotts, both cultural and financial. Heck, I even watched the New Music show on South Africa and songs like "Sun City". To me it really doesn't seem clear whether a boycott helps or hurts the blacks (and other groups, such as the Indians) in South Africa. If I were you, I think I would try to obtain some independent confirmation of the Professor's assertions. Then, if it is non-discriminatory, and working towards that, then I think I would sell it. I might make a point of letting the South African gov't (Dear Mr. Botha:) know that you were selling to this University only because they oppose racism. John