Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!anise.acc.com!pst
From: pst@anise.acc.com (Paul Traina)
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: Apple vs. FSF (THE BOYCOTT IS A FAILURE)
Keywords: boycott, apple, gnu, fsf
Message-ID: <1Rd512#2N2hXM=pst@anise.acc.com>
Date: 31 May 89 18:34:51 GMT
Lines: 48

Premise:
	Apple's look & feel suit sets a dangerous precedent which
	could harm the FSF.

Justification:
	If Apple sucessfully sues Microsoft & wins, what is there to
	stop AT&T (if they desire) from suing the FSF for bison,
	gcc, and other products?

Premise:
	We must cause the look-and-feel suit to fail.  The legal
	precedent must not be set.

Justification:
	see above

Commentary:
	Ok, so we'll be hurt if those fascists at Apple-legal win.
	It will directly jepordise the FSF.

Premise:
	The boycott of Apple by the FSF is a complete failure.

Justification:
	The boycott is supposed to "hurt" Apple.  It should make them
	think twice about attacking the freedom of programmers to build
	upon the concepts of others.  The FSF boycott has not hurt Apple.

Commentary:
	I would hesitate to guess that not one Mac order has been cancelled
	because of the actions of the FSF.  The boycott does not affect
	those who speicify & order Apple products,  it affects those of
	us who know of the FSF-subculture and use their products.

	The original idea was to stop Apple from pursuing the suit.  Not
	only has the boycott failed there,  but it failed in the more
	general attempt to hurt Apple in the wallet.

Claim:
	We should stop the boycott NOW.  It is time to go back to the
	black-board and come back with an alternate plan that will 
	settle the Apple/Microsoft suit in our favor.

Justification:
	We failed to accomplish what we attempted to do (Stop the suit).
	We are hurting users (remember the common man?),  not Apple.
	We are getting caught up in internal politics that are destructive
	to the FSF as a whole.