Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!hellgate.utah.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!agate!linus!linus!ramsdell From: ramsdell@mitre.org (John D. Ramsdell) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Boycott NeXT offerings that include a free copy of Lotus Improv Message-ID: Date: 22 Oct 90 13:29:30 GMT References: <123663@linus.mitre.org> <565@kaos.MATH.UCLA.EDU> Sender: ramsdell@linus.mitre.org Reply-To: ramsdell@mitre.org Organization: Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA. Lines: 52 In-reply-to: denison@sonia.math.ucla.edu's message of 19 Oct 90 07:01:52 GMT There seems to be people who believe both that copyrights on interfaces are wrong, and that it is inappropriate to punish NeXT Inc. for promoting companies that believe copyrights on interfaces are okay. Before I got around to responding to this idea, I received a message that addresses the issue from Richard M. Stallman, the president of the League for Programming Freedom. I sent him a copy of one of my messages and here is his reply: ============================================= NeXT is offering users "free" copies of Lotus Improv if they order upgrades before December 31. Lotus is, of course, the company that has established a monopoly on the spreadsheet commands most users know. Now any independent spreadsheet is required to have new commands that nobody knows (and that hardly anyone will want to learn, no matter how good they might be). The result is in effect a near-monopoly on spreadsheets for Lotus. And, beyond that, the loss of our freedom to write the programs the users want. These "free" copies are actually very expensive. Using a Lotus product promotes Lotus, which aids them in denying your freedom. Even if you don't pay for these copies, using their product will encourage other people to buy it. It is vitally important to discourage NeXT and other companies from aiding Lotus in this way. The best way to do this is to refrain from ordering an upgrade until after December 31. And send a letter or message to NeXT, saying why. Explain that you are offended by the offer. By waiting till next year, you arrange not to be offered a copy of Improv. If you order an upgrade now, and simply refrain from asking for a copy of Improv, this will not express your displeasure. This would do no harm, but also would do no good. Lotus has already established a monopoly; now it is up to us to regain the freedom to write programs. Neutral actions won't accomplish this. By delaying your upgrade, you will disappoint NeXT's hope that this promotion would encourage rapid upgrading. If they have paid money to Lotus for this, they will see it was wasted. Both of these things will help to prevent this promotion from being the start of a trend. If you belong to a NeXT users' group, then please print copies of this message to distribute on paper at the next meeting. We need to spread the word to people who don't read netnews. If people are unfamiliar with the issue of look and feel copyright, then show them copies of the League for Programming Freedom position paper to inform them. You can request this position paper by email to league@prep.ai.mit.edu; ask for "Against User Interface Copyright".