rms@AI.MIT.EDU (05/24/89)
I urge everyone reading these words: if you love the GNU project or GNU software, don't cooperate with Apple's use of GCC, and don't use Macintoshes with or without GCC. You may have noticed a gloating tone in Berry's announcement. The reason he is gloating is because he turned the GNU project's own mailing list toward the end of prohibiting free software. Perhaps that sounds preposterous, but it is no exaggeration. Berry's boss is suing people for developing upward-compatible replacement software--exactly what we do. If they win, most of the free software that the GNU project will want to do in the future will become illegal. To fight their efforts, we have urged a boycott of Apple. Berry hopes to undermine our efforts at self defense by posting advertisements for Apple on our own list--by using it to make contact with Apple customers. Apparently, Berry believes that the readers of this list are short-sighted, and would prefer the temporary benefit of using GCC on a Macintosh to the long term benefits possible from continued development of a wide variety of free software. He believes that you crave GCC on Macintoshes so badly that you would not wish to protect the source that gave you GCC, so it can give you something else tomorrow. He believes that you don't have the courage to make a sacrifice to preserve your freedom. Now it's up to you to show him, unmistakably, how wrong he is!
cruff@ncar.ucar.edu (Craig Ruff) (05/24/89)
In article <8905240213.AA00603@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> rms@AI.MIT.EDU writes: >I urge everyone reading these words: if you love the GNU project or >GNU software, don't cooperate with Apple's use of GCC, and don't use >Macintoshes with or without GCC. >... >Perhaps that sounds preposterous, but it is no exaggeration. Berry's >boss is suing people for developing upward-compatible replacement >software--exactly what we do. If they win, most of the free software >that the GNU project will want to do in the future will become >illegal. I've owned a Mac since almost day 1. I've enjoyed using it, but recently, it is coming up short. Thus, I've considered replacing it with something more capable. Obviously, I've considered upgrading to something like a Mac IIcx, which would allow me to continue to use the programs I've accumulated as well as run some other OS, say Unix-like. However, two things will cause me to look at other vendors than Apple. The first is price. The second is this attitude Apple has about suing everyone they think might even be coming close in this "look and feel" business. Are they going to extend "look and feel" to upward compatible software? Are they going to sue every C compiler writer because all C compilers accept the same input and thus have similar "look and feel"? Probably not, but what about other compatible software? What about full replacement software that runs on their hardware? Where is the line drawn? -- Craig Ruff NCAR cruff@ncar.ucar.edu (303) 497-1211 P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307
gjc@bu-cs.BU.EDU (George J. Carrette) (05/24/89)
Berry is probably going to be out of a job soon anyway. Release 7.0 of the regular Mac O/S will have virtual memory and a pre-emptive scheduler. At that point, who will really care to run yet another crufty unix port on a random box which is overpriced because of the Mac "PROMS" it contains? AUX is already down in the noise level, and after release 7.0 no commercial software developer will have the remotest excuse it use it. -gjc
chase@Ozona.orc.olivetti.com (David Chase) (05/25/89)
From the Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, 24 May 1989, page B1 (below the fold): ---------------- Xerox Seeking Licensing Fees for Software by Paul B. Carroll (WSJ staff reporter) Xerox Corp announceed a plan to seek licensing fees from computer companies in a move that could further fuel the controversy over intellectual-property rights. Xerox, the business-equipment and financial-services company, said it believes it is entitled to fees related to work it did in the early 1980s in developing graphical user interfaces. The user interface refers to the look and design of a computer screen, as well as the basic commands for controlling it. (lots and lots more follows) ---------------- David
shap@polya.Stanford.EDU (Jonathan S. Shapiro) (05/25/89)
In article <3281@ncar.ucar.edu> cruff@handies.UCAR.EDU (Craig Ruff) writes: >Are they going to extend "look and feel" to upward compatible >software? Are they going to sue every C compiler writer because all >C compilers accept the same input and thus have similar "look and feel"? >Craig Ruff NCAR cruff@ncar.ucar.edu Craig has the germ of a great idea. Under the Berne convention, the look and feel of GCC's latest release is already copyrighted. Let's file a look and feel lawsuit against MPW... Jon