Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired) [LWN.net]

Wired looks at the latest developments with Peru's proposed free software law. "Wired News has obtained a copy of a letter sent by U.S. Ambassador John Hamilton to the president of the Peruvian Congress, expressing his dismay at the proposed legislation."

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Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 27, 2002 18:46 UTC (Sat) by rknop (guest, #66) [Link]

If nothing else, this starts to make very clear the degree to which the US Government has become a tool of its largest corporations. It's very sad how obvious the pandering has become.

The USA's founding fathers were pretty smart to set up a system of "checks and balances" to keep any part of the government from getting too much power. Unfortunately, many of those who hold that power today (i.e. megacorps) don't have a similar effective system. And, because they have the resources to personally finance individuals in government keeping as much power as they can have, people in the government government has no motivation to keep them in check, and indeed has a lot of selfish motivation to do just the opposite.

-Rob

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 28, 2002 3:51 UTC (Sun) by baudyves (guest, #389) [Link] (1 responses)

Isn't this attitude of US government called colonialism?

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Aug 6, 2002 8:41 UTC (Tue) by BobRobertson (guest, #2048) [Link]

No, "Merchantilism". That is a governments policy of using things
like tariffs (tarrifs?) and government connections/force to promte
so-called "private" businesses.

Please note that a modern "corporation" is a government protected
legal creation which limits the liability of the corporate officers
from the liability of their choices. Meaning they can personally get
away with things you and I would spend time in jail for.

Such chartered corporations as the East India Company, and pretty
much all of Japan, Inc. fall into the catagory of legally protected
monopolies.

Bob-

I think this kind of proves a definition of US democracy

Posted Jul 28, 2002 7:06 UTC (Sun) by leonbrooks (guest, #1494) [Link]

...as stated on that most authoritative of weblogs, Slashdot:

`Every dollar is fairly represented.'

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 28, 2002 22:40 UTC (Sun) by DeletedUser2924 ((unknown), #2924) [Link] (2 responses)

Microsoft may suck...

But let's remember the Peruvians aren't angels either.
I recall an American woman was arrested and imprisoned
in Peru because she simply met with some leftist
leaders. The temperature in her prison cell regularly
approaches freezing, which has cause nerve damage
in her extremities, it was reported.

Perhaps they need the open source software to
shuffle her files around on a computer? Or to lose them?

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 29, 2002 3:52 UTC (Mon) by kdart (guest, #486) [Link]

If you are referring to the same woman I know about, that woman is proven to be organizing terrorist activities there in Peru. She is indirectly responsible for the deaths of many Peruvians.

But I will grant you that Peruvians are not saints. There is a lot of corruption in their government, and bribery is rampant. They and Bill Gates are of kindred spirits, so it is not surprising that they get along so well. I am sure Mr. Toledo will get some special "favors...".

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 29, 2002 8:10 UTC (Mon) by beejaybee (guest, #1581) [Link]

People in glass houses ...

Whatever country you come from, I guess you will find _some_ skeletons in the human rights cupboard. Yes, the good ole' USA has its fair share, too!

If you're against the use of open-source software by the Peruvian Government on humanitarian grounds, perhaps we all ought to sell out to M$ right now.

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 28, 2002 22:44 UTC (Sun) by Russell (guest, #1453) [Link] (1 responses)

There is no reason why Microsoft should feel excluded. They can write free software too. Given the bugs in there other software, I can't imagine who would use it though.

Microsoft's Big Stick in Peru (Wired)

Posted Jul 29, 2002 7:59 UTC (Mon) by beejaybee (guest, #1581) [Link]

Microsoft _do_ write free software. Free of security ;-)