<OT>Stay Legal - Stay Free (Software)
The following forwarded message outlines David Skoll's (of Roaring
Penguin.com and author of the standard PPOE DSL interface) plea for
assistance in his battle against the CAAT organization's tactics. CAAT is a
coalition of large proprietary corporations, led by Microsoft, That have
started to take enforcement of software licensing into their own hands. This
ranges from the now infamous threatening letters, to walk-in audits and
lawsuits. What seems to bother people the most is not so much the rights they
are attempting to protect, but the methods that they are employing.
David's proposition is simple -- avoid CAAT threats and goon squad searches
of your workplace by simply moving as much as possible to open source
software, preferably Linux. His aim is two-fold: object to the CAAT methods
and pomote open source altenatives.
Our LUG here in Ottawa has picked up the ball and is supporting David. I'm
sure he would be grateful for any help anyone could give him.
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Subject: [oclug] Re: [linux-consult] stay-legal.org in Ottawa Business
Journal,
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:18:30 -0500 (EST)
From: "David F. Skoll"
I think another nice touch would be for business' <especially those threatened by CAAT>, to switch to linux and open source, then as a show of *admiration* for MS, send all of there windows software back to MS. Wouldn't they crap if they started getting thousands of cd's in mail, maybe with a little note saying "Switched to Linux/Open Source". Of course I would scratch the hell out of the disks first cuz they'd probably try to resell those usable ones haha. Sorry for the hairbrain stuff...still haven't had my first cup 'o' jo of the day. Cheers On Fri, 2002-04-05 at 04:23, burns wrote:
The following forwarded message outlines David Skoll's (of Roaring Penguin.com and author of the standard PPOE DSL interface) plea for assistance in his battle against the CAAT organization's tactics. CAAT is a coalition of large proprietary corporations, led by Microsoft, That have started to take enforcement of software licensing into their own hands. This ranges from the now infamous threatening letters, to walk-in audits and lawsuits. What seems to bother people the most is not so much the rights they are attempting to protect, but the methods that they are employing.
David's proposition is simple -- avoid CAAT threats and goon squad searches of your workplace by simply moving as much as possible to open source software, preferably Linux. His aim is two-fold: object to the CAAT methods and pomote open source altenatives.
Our LUG here in Ottawa has picked up the ball and is supporting David. I'm sure he would be grateful for any help anyone could give him.
-- Mark Doucette kranked@oberon.ark.com WinFree and Lovin' it. SuSE Rox Linux! Registered Linux User # 240512 ----////----
At 11:00 5/04/02 -0800, Mark Doucette wrote:
I think another nice touch would be for business' <especially those threatened by CAAT>, to switch to linux and open source, then as a show of *admiration* for MS, send all of there windows software back to MS. Wouldn't they crap if they started getting thousands of cd's in mail, maybe with a little note saying "Switched to Linux/Open Source". Of course I would scratch the hell out of the disks first cuz they'd probably try to resell those usable ones haha.
Sorry for the hairbrain stuff...still haven't had my first cup 'o' jo of the day.
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork. Now, my PC has a BIOS powerup password, as it's been tampered with by the desktop dweebs before (I manage the network - over 50 servers - on my OWN !!), so I wasn't worried about them getting into it. When they arrived, I just sat back and watched the fun - three "technicians" couldn't get the machine to power up, let alone boot.... The Director glowered at me, then winked.... They then asked me for the password (they were sitting at my machine when I got to work, so no way was I co-operating !!), which I refused, on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality of the data on the PC". They then explained what they were going to do, and how the program worked. They REFUSED to allow me to scan their disks for viruses. I presented them with an agreement that they all were to sign, indicating that they would be responsible for any damage or misuse of the data on my computer, and that they were "technically competant to conduct this audit", which they refused to sign. After about 1/2 hour of this, the MD came down and "explained" that I was to allow this or I would be sacked. So I unlocked the machine, and lo, it booted into SuSE 7.3.... They DEMANDED that it be booted into Windows, which I refused as I didn't run it at the time (I run certain non-Linux apps under VMWARE)... They threatened that I HAD to have a Windows licence on the PC, as it is an IBM - at which point I powered off the machine and politely told them to piss off. So much for Microsoft's "honesty".
I would think that IBM might be a little interested in this situation. I mean where is it writing, in a contract, or by local, state, or federal statue that a IBM PC "must" have a windows license? Since when did it become a violation of any sort to replace an OEM computer systems OS to one of the owner's/users choice. If I am correct in my assumption, the only time you need to have a Windows license is when your actually using that OS, otherwise how do they figure that your in violation of some agreement of a license of a non-existant OS that isn't being used. Oh, forgive me..... If you have a PC then naturally you "must" be running Windows since all OEM computers come with Windows "pre-loaded"! I guess in their minds the only way you can obfiscate your acceptance of the Windows license is to never have boot the OS in the first place? Since to install the OS you must agree to the lisence in order to install. But wait, IBM agreed to the license in order to install the Windows OS, and you just decided to install the OS of your preference? My god man, the unmittigated Gaul you must pocess,... How dare you use your brain!!! These guys wanna make me puke! Cheers, Curtis On Saturday 06 April 2002 21:55, Jon Biddell wrote:
At 11:00 5/04/02 -0800, Mark Doucette wrote:
I think another nice touch would be for business' <especially those threatened by CAAT>, to switch to linux and open source, then as a show of *admiration* for MS, send all of there windows software back to MS. Wouldn't they crap if they started getting thousands of cd's in mail, maybe with a little note saying "Switched to Linux/Open Source". Of course I would scratch the hell out of the disks first cuz they'd probably try to resell those usable ones haha.
Sorry for the hairbrain stuff...still haven't had my first cup 'o' jo of the day.
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork.
Now, my PC has a BIOS powerup password, as it's been tampered with by the desktop dweebs before (I manage the network - over 50 servers - on my OWN !!), so I wasn't worried about them getting into it.
When they arrived, I just sat back and watched the fun - three "technicians" couldn't get the machine to power up, let alone boot.... The Director glowered at me, then winked....
They then asked me for the password (they were sitting at my machine when I got to work, so no way was I co-operating !!), which I refused, on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality of the data on the PC". They then explained what they were going to do, and how the program worked. They REFUSED to allow me to scan their disks for viruses.
I presented them with an agreement that they all were to sign, indicating that they would be responsible for any damage or misuse of the data on my computer, and that they were "technically competant to conduct this audit", which they refused to sign.
After about 1/2 hour of this, the MD came down and "explained" that I was to allow this or I would be sacked.
So I unlocked the machine, and lo, it booted into SuSE 7.3.... They DEMANDED that it be booted into Windows, which I refused as I didn't run it at the time (I run certain non-Linux apps under VMWARE)... They threatened that I HAD to have a Windows licence on the PC, as it is an IBM - at which point I powered off the machine and politely told them to piss off.
So much for Microsoft's "honesty".
On Monday 08 April 2002 01:35, Curtis Rey wrote:
I would think that IBM might be a little interested in this situation. I mean where is it writing, in a contract, or by local, state, or federal statue that a IBM PC "must" have a windows license? [Rest snipped]
Er, he wasn't posting from the U.S. It sounds like you assume that he was. Regards, Malcolm -- Value your right to privacy? Restore your right to shop unmonitored. Fight grocery and drug store surveillance cards. Go to http://www.nocards.org today. KMail l.3.1 -- KDE 2.2.2 -- SuSE Linux 7.3 8:28am up 17 days, 14:25, 1 user, load average: 0.08, 0.08, 0.02 Remove the dots to email me
Jon Biddell wrote:
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork.
Now, my PC has a BIOS powerup password, as it's been tampered with by the desktop dweebs before (I manage the network - over 50 servers - on my OWN !!), so I wasn't worried about them getting into it.
When they arrived, I just sat back and watched the fun - three "technicians" couldn't get the machine to power up, let alone boot.... The Director glowered at me, then winked....
They then asked me for the password (they were sitting at my machine when I got to work, so no way was I co-operating !!), which I refused, on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality of the data on the PC". They then explained what they were going to do, and how the program worked. They REFUSED to allow me to scan their disks for viruses.
I presented them with an agreement that they all were to sign, indicating that they would be responsible for any damage or misuse of the data on my computer, and that they were "technically competant to conduct this audit", which they refused to sign.
After about 1/2 hour of this, the MD came down and "explained" that I was to allow this or I would be sacked.
So I unlocked the machine, and lo, it booted into SuSE 7.3.... They DEMANDED that it be booted into Windows, which I refused as I didn't run it at the time (I run certain non-Linux apps under VMWARE)... They threatened that I HAD to have a Windows licence on the PC, as it is an IBM - at which point I powered off the machine and politely told them to piss off.
So much for Microsoft's "honesty".
----------- Well done. Did this surprise you?? After all 'Relax it is only MS' These accountants appear to have some problems with logic ('I HAD to have a Windows licence on the PC, as it is an IBM'). If IBM on the basis of a contract, sell their machines with a MS OS they will certainly have charged you for the licence fee and are under obligation to pay this to MS. I do not understand what you have to do with it. The purchase of an IBM machines warrants that the OS was legally obtained. It would be different if you had a 'no name' computer and used an illegal copy of a MS OS. They have to prove that you use an illegal copy of a MS OS. If you do not have a MS OS at all, how can you open it. You cannot show it you do not have it.
On Monday 08 April 2002 01:15 pm, hwm@onetel.net.uk wrote:
Jon Biddell wrote:
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork.
I'm curious what legal authority ms or any other agency has which allows them to go into your business and disrupt it just to see if you might be breaking thew law. -- dh
On Mon, 2002-04-08 at 17:12, David Herman wrote:
On Monday 08 April 2002 01:15 pm, hwm@onetel.net.uk wrote:
Jon Biddell wrote:
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork.
I'm curious what legal authority ms or any other agency has which allows them to go into your business and disrupt it just to see if you might be breaking thew law.
No legal authority; just the threat of yanking the right to use the software. Of course, that could produce a lawsuit but MSoft has the canons to make any such lawsuit very expensive, however meritorious it is. dj tuchler
. Dude you might be Batman... Takes cojones. Nice work.
We had a software audit by M$ recently, where they sent a team from one of the big accounting firms to do the dirtywork.
Now, my PC has a BIOS powerup password, as it's been tampered with by the desktop dweebs before (I manage the network - over 50 servers - on my OWN !!), so I wasn't worried about them getting into it.
When they arrived, I just sat back and watched the fun - three "technicians" couldn't get the machine to power up, let alone boot.... The Director glowered at me, then winked....
They then asked me for the password (they were sitting at my machine when I got to work, so no way was I co-operating !!), which I refused, on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality of the data on the PC". They then explained what they were going to do, and how the program worked. They REFUSED to allow me to scan their disks for viruses.
I presented them with an agreement that they all were to sign, indicating that they would be responsible for any damage or misuse of the data on my computer, and that they were "technically competant to conduct this audit", which they refused to sign.
After about 1/2 hour of this, the MD came down and "explained" that I was to allow this or I would be sacked.
So I unlocked the machine, and lo, it booted into SuSE 7.3.... They DEMANDED that it be booted into Windows, which I refused as I didn't run it at the time (I run certain non-Linux apps under VMWARE)... They threatened that I HAD to have a Windows licence on the PC, as it is an IBM - at which point I powered off the machine and politely told them to piss off.
So much for Microsoft's "honesty".
participants (9)
-
burns -
Curtis Rey -
David Herman -
Dennis Tuchler -
hwm＠onetel.net.uk -
Jon Biddell -
M. Clark -
Mark Doucette -
Quantum