A couple of Linux trademark notes

Posted Aug 22, 2005 20:27 UTC (Mon) by man_ls (subscriber, #15091) [Link]

Mueller refers to "intellectual property" liberally, which seems to be a concession to lobbies which do not differ much from software patent proponents (like RIAA, MPAA or BSA itself). An extract:

It's lawless and pointless to indiscriminately oppose intellectual property rights. They're the foundation of the digital economy.

Lawless? In which sense of the word? Beg to differ from all of them. Stallman himself opposes indiscriminately "intellectual property rights", since he won't let you even use the term since it is misleading; and you would hardly call the man "lawless".

Foundation of the digital economy? This stupid rationalization could as well be used to attack Linux since closed source is the "Fundamental pillar of the digital lifestyle" or some other newspeak for outrageous software licenses and useless DRM schemes.

This issue contains a lesson for all of us: if you ever want to rant about anything and make it appear respectable at the same time, just write your opinion in third person, include Torvalds' name somewhere and post it from some notable account. My take:

ANTI-SOFTWARE PATENT SUPPORTER THINKS LINUS TORVALDS LOOKS GOOD IN SWIMMING SUIT, REQUESTS THAT DEBIAN SUPPORT THE MAC MINI'S SLEEP FEATURES.

Posted Aug 22, 2005 21:37 UTC (Mon) by Ross (subscriber, #4065) [Link]

My best guess is that he is worried about appearances and that he thinks bnetd appears to be anti-Blizzard, and that he thinks EFF's support appears to make them look to be against all forms of intellectual property (I personally hate that term, but whatever), and that such appearances appear to make them look communist or at least anti-business.

Lots of assumptions and supposed inferences. You'd almost get the idea he doesn't give other people much credit for thinking.