Re: [fsf-community-team] [project seed] San Fransisco adopts a new software policy

[Charles Anaman]

I have to agree with this. Similar thing happened with the sale of linux loaded laptops to Nigeria where MSFT tried (http://is.gd/7qIMA) to get the OS replaced with its own some years ago by doing some shady agreements. luckily it got exposed and they reverted. They got too much attention on the project and they publicity  backfired on them. Similar things must be done with any kind of counter-strike moves they try to make in disrupting the spread of free software.

- - -

"He who brings the truth and he who confirms it—those are

the people who guard against evil. "

- (Q;39:33)

My email may have come across as more pessimistic than I'd intended.  I was just trying to point out that celebrating this as a win is premature and would lead to complacency.  Microsoft will be somewhere in the background trying to pull strings.  FUD is not the only thing the SF activists will need to counter.  Politicians are motivated by many things other than the wellbeing of their constituency, and Microsoft will undoubtedly use that, either directly as they did in Mass. or indirectly as they did when they quietly arranged for BayStar Capital to fund SCO to the tune of about $100 million.

If it were possible to get some opinion pieces in the SF Comical or the Examiner warning of the sort of attacks that might be expected, it might be a good idea to do that as a pre-emptive strike. < An option could be making our proposals for contract bids available with clear terms once they are accepted so that the public knows what benefits they are expected to get from the deals. That way if and when politicians get a lil itch... they educated public can tell them how to scratch it well or get a nasty sore

Mark Rosenthal