The problem is the big companies abusing the current IP laws. MS in particular employs 600 lawyers. With there cash mountain they're unstoppable in court, they bog all litigants in IP cases down in expensive lawsuits and drive them out of business. Stac won their case but were put out of business by MS well before the settlement - even though Stac won the case they lost big. Which is why independent software vendors who come up with something novel sell out to MS - they're made an offer they can't refuse. Microsoft are no longer primarily a tech company, they're a legal company.
I see that BT are trying to jump on this sordid little bandwagon and sue some ISP for infringing their `hyperlink' patent. I'd stop BT providing my 'phone line in protest but then I'd have to do without. Another bloody monopoly!
One side of me says campaign to have them regulated, but the other says don't. let them keep putting the price up because then Open Source will become increasingly attractive. I don't have a BT line at all. Its all NTL, mainly because its cheaper and faster. BT are not doing wonderfully well. Every dog has its day and MS haven't been going long in the scheme of things. The Roman Empire collapsed, so did the Soviet Union and MS dominance will last rether less lime than either but the dissidents need to collectively put their energy in in as effective ways as possible to shorten the timescale as much as possible. If they abuse their position the long term outcome will be inevitable, just a matter of when.
The American political system is undoubtedly as corrupt as anything on this planet and FWIW their legal sytem sucks too in that the more money you've got, the better chance you have of winning your case.
I can think of worse.
Being essentially a client state they'll try and go for it in this country but I think the Europeans might have their doubts about it - I guess we'll just have to wait & see.
Just keep lobbying. It can make a difference. -- IanL Open Source - save money - employ more teachers Use Star Office the free replacement for Microsoft Office