Open Source responds to Ballmer

Here is a summary of my thoughts on OSRM:

1. I do see a need to organize against frivolous law suits and patent infringement suits. The US has gone totally insane in these areas.

2. I don't think that the organization in charge of this defense should be a for profit company. As far as I have been able to tell, OSRM is for-profit and not non-profit organization. (Please correct me if I am wrong on that. But I have looked and haven't seen anything that says "non-profit", so if they are I suggest that they be more clear on the matter.) Do we really want there to be a profit motive for spreading FUD about Linux IP vulnerabilities?

3. All that OSRM has done so far if provide ammunition for the opposition.

4. If OSRM is indeed a for profit corporation with a profit motive for spreading FUD, why in the world is Bruce Perens supportive of them?

5. I feel like I must be missing some important point, here.

Well, OSRM was such a good FUD opportunity, that SCO succeeded to smear Pamela Jones from http://www.groklaw.net by saying that her field of expertise and affiliation with OSRM is proof enough that GNU/Linux poses an IP threat. In other words, SCO used OSRM to accuse GNU/Linux of being dirty.

Pamela Jones resigned her position at OSRM, because she was not willing to let her affiliation with OSRM serve as ammunition for the "enemy". PJ is sqeaky clean, morally speaking. Great woman. Wish there were more of her caliber within FOSS. (Yes there are lots, but more is always better, isn't it?)

We should set up an organisation like the FSF, but one that specifically handles the legal stuff within FOSS. Time to kick the butts of criminal old think SCOundrels.

I disagree. Nothing should be done as a result of anything stemming from SCO. They will latch on to anything and if need be make up stuff for the purpose of misleading. They have no credibility left anywhere and the less said the better. Attempts to counter only invokes the "smoke without fire" syndrome in the mind of the PHBs. Judge Wells will most likely grant IBM their Request for Summary judgment on the status of Linux late December or early Jan.

This will not be the end of the court case but will be the de-facto end point for the FOSS / Linux issue