Bilski's growing up, and smacking down some bad software patents (opensource.com)

Posted Jul 20, 2011 6:24 UTC (Wed) by rahvin (guest, #16953)
In reply to: Bilski's growing up, and smacking down some bad software patents (opensource.com) by anselm
Parent article: Bilski's growing up, and smacking down some bad software patents (opensource.com)

Allow me to explain my impressions. Having read several dozen posts by FM on LWN along with articles penned by him that are picked up by more mainstream sources in particular the major publications he's been quoted in that it appears FM is working as a key cog in a sort of Astroturfing campaign or something similar. The goal of this action seems to be to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt about Linux/FOSS is general, Google as the prime actor and Android as the primary target. FM appears to be working tirelessly to get quotes and stories into the mainstream press about the danger of FOSS, Linux and Android to both the economy and the companies that use the software.

Maybe I'm just paranoid but I'm not the only one that's picked up on this as you can see from the questions regarding his employment and his ability to dodge the question while appearing to respond (which he hasn't). There is a very serious campaign of building a backlog of Astroturfed concern in the Internet community on the danger of Android in the works here and frankly the people who've noticed it are concerned about what the ultimate goal is, hence the questions about who's paying him to make these posts and articles.

Who is funding this should be a concern to the community because this attempt is very subtle and being orchestrated with long term goals of projecting a serious concern about the danger of patents to FOSS, Linux, Google and Android. That goal could be anything from Microsoft trying to sow FUD about Android to increase Windows Mobile uptake to building a "public outcry" that could be used as a basis for legislation detrimental to FOSS. Frankly I find any of the possibilities I can come up with to be quite scary.

Bilski's growing up, and smacking down some bad software patents (opensource.com)

Posted Jul 21, 2011 13:11 UTC (Thu) by ccurtis (guest, #49713) [Link] (1 responses)

The goal of this action seems to be to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt about Linux/FOSS is [sic] general, Google as the prime actor and Android as the primary target.

I'll admit I haven't studied FM as much as you appear to, but isn't sowing FUD the essence of what lawyers do? As professional programmers, every statement you write includes a "What could go wrong here?" clause; within the legal system, the same rule applies.

It sounds as though your objection is that, while everything done involves some level of risk, FM states what (he perceives) those risks to be. That makes them no less valid, nor ignoring them any less wise. While ignoring the risk is often the right thing to do, so is being reminded of it.

RedHat, in this case, to his perspective, is trying to hand-wave away the risk by saying it's being mitigated and getting better (true or not), while the fundamental issue of software patents remain. FM further says that this isn't going to be decided by the courts, it has to be addressed in congress, and he disagrees with the way RedHat is spending it's money.

Now, RedHat doesn't seem to me to be the same company it was 10 years ago but FM may be pushing things a bit far here - attributing to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence. But it's also true that RedHat is a business and not a patent-busting PAC, as much as he may want it to be.

FM is not a lawyer.

Posted Jul 21, 2011 22:24 UTC (Thu) by louie (guest, #3285) [Link]

isn't sowing FUD the essence of what lawyers do?
Florian not a lawyer. We have enough image problems without getting tarred with his antics, thanks :)