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By Richard Stallman

Many GNU/Linux users think of the system as competition for Microsoft. But the Free Software Movement aims to solve a problem that is much bigger than Microsoft: proprietary, non-free software, designed to keep users helpless and prohibit cooperation. Microsoft is the largest developer of such software, but many other companies treat the users' freedom just as badly; if they have not shackled as many users as Microsoft, it is not for lack of trying.

Since Microsoft is just a part of the problem, its defeat in the anti-trust lawsuit is not necessarily a victory for free software. Whether the outcome of this suit helps free software and promotes users' freedom depends on the specific remedies imposed on Microsoft by the judge.

If the remedies are designed to enable other companies to compete in offering proprietary, non-free software, that will do the Free World no particular good. Alternative possible masters is not freedom. And competition could lead them to do a "better" job, better in a narrow technical sense; then it could be harder for us to "compete" with them technically. We will continue to offer the user one thing those companies do not -- freedom -- and users who value freedom will continue to choose free software for that reason. But users who do not value freedom, and choose a system based on mere convenience, might be enticed away to "improved" proprietary systems.

Splitting Microsoft into separate companies could also endanger free software, because these smaller companies, no longer held in check by the public readiness to condemn Microsoft, might see fit to attack free software more harshly than the present unified Microsoft does.

I've proposed remedies for this case that would help free software compete with Microsoft: for example, requiring Microsoft to publish documentation for all interfaces, and to use patents only for defense, not for aggression. These remedies would block the use of the weapons that Microsoft plans to use against us (according to the "Halloween documents" leaked from within Microsoft which spelled out how they plan to impede development of the GNU/Linux system).

When we see what remedies the judge chooses, we will get an idea of whether the case has been helpful or harmful to the Free Software Movement.

Copyright 2000 Richard Stallman
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Index Mode   |   Flat Mode   |   Thread Mode   |   Thread Flat     Talkback(s) Name  and Date   Another suggestion    JJS Apr 6, 2000, 22:26:43     Open File formats and API is enough    Dara Parsavand Apr 7, 2000, 00:05:52     M$ has no documentation    John Sowa Apr 7, 2000, 01:50:54     US goverment should just...    Alessandro Coppo Apr 7, 2000, 07:58:54     Rich Text Format    Cathy James Apr 7, 2000, 12:43:13     Re: Rich Text Format    Anthony Youngman Apr 7, 2000, 15:38:06     Re: Rich Text Format    aftrbrnr Apr 7, 2000, 15:38:11     *** NO SUBJECT ***    aftrbrnr Apr 7, 2000, 15:42:30     aftrbrnr- GPL is copyright    WdLvW Apr 7, 2000, 16:33:59     Re: Copyright    Abreu Apr 7, 2000, 16:39:31     Re: Why not GPL his article?    Anil Wang Apr 7, 2000, 16:42:04     Competition cannot be supressed...    Robert Wooldridge Apr 7, 2000, 16:49:46     Copyright Notice    Thad Phetteplace Apr 7, 2000, 17:10:06     to aftrbrnr    J. J. Horner Apr 7, 2000, 17:24:32     are you saying that GNU/Linux isn't good enoug    jed bailey Apr 7, 2000, 18:10:12     Re: Re: Rich Text Format    tc Apr 7, 2000, 18:54:21     "Free Software"    Scott Apr 7, 2000, 19:25:48     Re: are you saying that GNU/Linux isn't good e    Anil Wang Apr 7, 2000, 22:21:30     Re: are you saying that GNU/Linux isn't good e    Peter H. Apr 8, 2000, 00:01:39     Copyright    Doogie Apr 8, 2000, 10:08:32     Re: Wine might be bad; API; Formats    szh Apr 9, 2000, 20:47:33     Re: Wine might be bad; API    Anil Wang Apr 9, 2000, 21:41:07     Re: Another suggestion    Chen Shapira Apr 10, 2000, 17:06:29     Re: Competition cannot be supressed...    Chen Shapira Apr 10, 2000, 17:09:32     Leave Microsoft Alone    Greg Messer Apr 13, 2000, 03:35:02     Re: Rich Text Format    Apr 13, 2000, 10:21:06     Re: Rich Text Format    Anil Wang Apr 13, 2000, 18:45:25     Competition? Who's competing?    Sleepy Apr 18, 2000, 19:51:20     Wait a minute    stumped Apr 30, 2000, 19:01:39     Freedom and inteligence    Stuart Apr 30, 2000, 21:38:16     Actually, RMS's solutions are rather optimisti    RES May 4, 2000, 02:45:25     Home | Search Talkbacks | Customize View    Top of Page   Enter your comments below: * Your Name: * Your Email Address: * Subject: CC: [will also send this talkback to an E-Mail address] * Comments: Tags allowed:<I>,<B> and <U>. See our talkback-policy for more about talkback content. Fields marked with * are required!