From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00, REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,fd24e54f7983a2f1 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 1995-02-07 12:18:56 PST Path: nntp.gmd.de!newsserver.jvnc.net!nntpserver.pppl.gov!princeton!gw1.att.com!csn!boulder!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!udel!news.mathworks.com!uunet!world!blanket.mitre.org!linus.mitre.org!linus!rfh From: rfh@mitre.org (Rich Hilliard) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: FSF drops Apple boycott, opens gate for GNAT, etc. Date: 07 Feb 1995 20:18:56 GMT Organization: The Mitre Corporation Message-ID: References: Reply-To: rh@mitre.org NNTP-Posting-Host: mbunix.mitre.org In-reply-to: CONDIC@PSAVAX.PWFL.COM's message of Tue, 7 Feb 1995 10:54:13 EST Date: 1995-02-07T20:18:56+00:00 List-Id: [ I normally prefer making email responses to news postings, but the poster's address bounced, so I'm posting here. ] In article CONDIC@PSAVAX.PWFL.COM writes: > O.K. I'm a little lost. I've been reading this thread over the last > couple of days and could use a little history. OK, some quick history (for more, see the URL in my signature): In 1989, Apple's look and feel lawsuit against Microsoft brought the idea of interface copyright to the attention of the programming community. Apple was trying to claim a monopoly over a broad class of graphical user interfaces. If Apple succeeded, not only Microsoft, but every software developer, would be legally compelled to design gratuitously incompatible software. In response, John Gilmore and Richard Stallman together commissioned the design of the "fanged Apple" -- a button showing the Apple logo with vicious teeth. This was followed by an advertisement placed in The Tech, MIT's student newspaper, which in turn led to a protest rally at the HQ of Lotus Development Corporation--another "look and feel" lawsuit plaintiff. The enthusiastic response to the first protest led to the formation of the League for Programming Freedom in late 1989. The general aim of the League for Programming Freedom is to prevent monopolies on software development. Initially the League's only specific position was against interface copyright. But once the League began to operate, members called its attention to the problem of software patents. In December 1990 [check this date], the League members voted to adopt a position opposing software patents. > 1) Is/was there some sort of boycott by FSF of Apple/Macintosh > machines? The LPF was the group that initiated the boycott, not FSF. Free Software Foundation (no relation to the LPF) recognised the LPF's boycott. > 2) For what reason? See above. Also see Kenner's earlier note in this thread which quite eloquently stated why Apple's actions are a real threat to free software. But it's worth pointing out the LPF has no position on free software; only on the two issues of software patents and user interface copyrights. There are consequently a number of corporate members of LPF who share its goals on these matters. > 3) Did it have any impact? Debatable. > 4) If the boycott is over, how did this come about? (Is there some > sort of secret cabal running FSF who went into a smoke filled room, > made a decision and pronounced it to the world?) The board of directors of the *LPF* voted to end it last Fall; determining to fight software patents and look and feel issues in other ways (court actions, public awareness). > 5) Is there any immediate impact for the Mac world or FSF world? Threads like this one. :-) -- Rich Hilliard The MITRE Corporation, M/S B155 Bedford, MA 01730 (617) 271-5782 I'm a member of the League for Programming Freedom lpf@uunet.uu.net http://www.lpf.org/