Re: Bug#158683: ITP: oggasm -- MP3 to Ogg converter
On Mon, Sep 02, 2002 at 05:56:08PM +0200, Russell Coker wrote:
DB>> Discouraging use of patent-encumbered technologies is the same as
DB>> political emigration: it is the easy way out of the oppression,
DB>> but it is nothing else but a defeat, and when you are fleeing to
DB>> another country, this defeat will follow you there. If you want to
DB>> fight oppression, you should fight where you stand, and not run
DB>> away until you're locked in a corner.
RC> That moral stance makes sense.
RC>
RC> However it can be applied in a different way to this situation.
RC> Resolving to not use your PC for audio or video applications
RC> because of patents would be fleeing from opression. Writing and
RC> supporting new programs to perform the same tasks without the
RC> patents is actively fighting back.
Agreed. But, encouraging development of patent-free and better
alternative is not exactly the same as discouraging the use of
patent-encumbered _free_ software. I'm all for the former, but I
disagree with the latter.
--
Dmitry Borodaenko
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