So. What Now?

“I took a few days off from writing any articles, partly to try
to make a serious dent in transcribing the Comes v. Microsoft
exhibits. We’re in the home stretch, and a quiet weekend, marking
on a curve, is perfect. I know there’s lots going on, other than
work.

“I also needed to take some time to think about the recent
discovery about Novell taking money from Microsoft and
contractually agreeing to show up at Open XML standards meetings
and events. Should Groklaw stop helping people like that, I asked?
Is it time to shut Groklaw down? If not, is there a way to carve
out helping Linux and FOSS, which is what we are about, from
helping self-interested executives and board members so that in
essence we end up being used by them so they get larger piles of
money because we worked ourselves to the bone and then they repay
the community with such a deal as this?

“Yes, I’m furious. Or I was. I always tell you the truth. And
the truth is I felt used and abused. How could Novell enter into
such a deal? Then top it off with selling 882 patents to a
Microsoft-organized consortium? Why do I bother, I wondered? More
seriously, I asked myself should I ask you to help? We’re all
volunteers here. No one pays us, and I feel a responsibility not to
ask you to do anything that isn’t worth doing. So I had to think
this through.”

Complete
Story