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List:       dmca-discuss
Subject:    Re: [DMCA_Discuss] Rep. Adam Smith Critized for GPL Attack
From:       "Tammo" <burrbob () earthlink ! net>
Date:       2002-10-24 20:27:40
[Download RAW message or body]

It makes sense that they would support it.  Why should my tax dollars go
into a product that will be copyrighted?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Seth Johnson" <seth.johnson@realmeasures.dyndns.org>
To: <C-FIT_Community@realmeasures.dyndns.org>;
<C-FIT_Release_Community@realmeasures.dyndns.org>;
<fairuse-discuss@nyfairuse.org>
Cc: <DMCA-Activists@gnu.org>; <DMCA_Discuss@lists.microshaft.org>;
<rms@gnu.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 9:59 AM
Subject: [DMCA_Discuss] Rep. Adam Smith Critized for GPL Attack


>
> > http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20021024S0001
>
> Congressman Criticized For Attacking Free Software Movement
>
> By D. Ian Hopper, AP Technology Writer
> Oct. 24, 2002
>
>
> Washington Rep. Adam Smith, whose biggest contributor
> is Microsoft, is blasted by head of a House technology
> committee.
>
>
> WASHINGTON (AP)--A congressman from Microsoft Corp.'s home
> state was criticized by the chairman of a House technology
> committee for an attack on the free software movement.
>
> A bipartisan group of lawmakers had written a letter urging
> White House computer security adviser Richard Clarke to find
> sales opportunities for government-funded software projects.
> The letter had no mention of the issue of free software,
> also known as open-source or General Public License (GPL)
> software.
>
> But when Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., whose biggest political
> contributor is Microsoft, began circulating the letter to
> his fellow Democrats asking for their signatures, he added
> his own correspondence, saying the free software philosophy
> is "problematic and threaten(s) to undermine innovation and
> security.''
>
> The open-source movement advocates that software, such as
> the Linux operating system, should be distributed free and
> open to modification by others rather than treated as
> copyright-protected, for-profit property.
>
> Smith's attack on open-source drew an angry response on
> Wednesday from one of the original authors of the letter,
> Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the Government Reform
> Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy.
>
> "We had no knowledge about that letter that twisted this
> position into a debate over the open source GPL issues,''
> said Melissa Wojciak, staff director of the subcommittee.
> Wojciak added that Davis supports government funding of
> open-source projects.
>
> Smith spokeswoman Katharine Lister said he has "definitely
> spoken with (Microsoft) about this issue,'' but that there
> wasn't a direct relationship between those discussions and
> his decision to write his letter to fellow Democrats.
>
> Sixty-seven representatives signed the letter to Clarke;
> almost two-thirds were Democrats. "I'm going to hope that
> the people who signed on to the letter did their homework,''
> Lister said.
>
> Microsoft, whose Windows operating system competes with
> Linux, says open-source hurts a company's right to protect
> its intellectual property.
>
> Microsoft is Smith's top source of donations. According to
> the Center for Responsive Politics, Microsoft employees and
> its political action committee have given $22,900 to Smith's
> re-election campaign.
>
> The original letter was fashioned by Davis and Jim Turner,
> D-Texas. They wanted the White House's national
> cybersecurity plan, which is set to be finished next month,
> to ensure that companies that develop software using federal
> funds are free to use the resulting products for commercial
> gain.
>
> Clarke and his top spokeswoman were traveling Wednesday, and
> did not return a message seeking comment.
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
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