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  From: Brian Astill <bastill@sa.apana.org.au>
  To  : <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 14:45:01 +0930

Re: Adobe attack on Open-source

On Wed, 18 Jul 2001, David Newall wrote:
> I realise I'm getting off topic for an already off-topic topic, but...
> 
> I disagree to a limited extent.  If someone invents something new, and
> then somebody else clones it to make a free alternative, the first person
> should sue for patent or copyright infringement to the extent permitted by
> law.  This is a fundamental difference in ideology between me and Stallman
> (and yes, was the basis of a deplorable screaming match.)  He thinks we
> have a duty to make a free alternative; I think that's intellectual theft.

I'm not going to engage in a slanging match either :-)
However, there is an aternative philosophy to your own which Stallman
might embrace.  It goes like this:

One's intellect is a gift (accidental/random/God-given/take your pick) -
you, the recipient did not earn that gift.  You were given the
opportunity to develop your gift by others, free of cost to you (in our
society, education and training institutions are provided from pooled
funds we call taxes).  Probably, your superior intellect would have
been damaged had it not been given that opportunity to grow. 
So, as you are the undeserving recipient of both intellect and
training, should you not share the results of those gifts without
thought of reward?
 
Basically, it seems to me that it is the structure of our society with
its obsession with money which gives rise to the perceived need for
copyrights and patents.  Our society does not HAVE to be structured
in that way, and it could be argued that it should not be.

-- 
Regards,
Brian

********************************************************
Dr Brian Astill  Visiting Research Fellow
Flinders University Institute of International Education
Bus 8201 3480     FAX 8449 9199
bastill@sa.apana.org.au
********************************************************

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