Published at LXer:

There's a fantastic little story in the Guardian today that says a US lobby group is trying to get the US government to consider open source as the equivalent to piracy. The International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), an umbrella group for American publishing, software, film, television and music associations, has asked with the US Trade Representative (USTR) to consider countries like Indonesia, Brazil and India for its "Special 301 watchlist" because they encourage the use of open source software. A Special 301, according to Guardian's Bobbie Johnson is: "a report that examines the 'adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights' around the planet - effectively the list of countries that the US government considers enemies of capitalism. It often gets wheeled out as a form of trading pressure - often around pharmaceuticals and counterfeited goods - to try and force governments to change their behaviours."

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If so, then shiver me timbers, let's send these landlubbers back to the hell from which they spawned ! Who's with me. ARRRRRRRRGGG !!!

On a more serious note, I believe I did say at one point that this would happen, probably with great help from M$. Anyone using Linux will eventually be considered a pirate, and by assimilation a terrorist, and thus will not be allowed to use the internet or a computer, and will be taken directly to minilove for indefinite correction.

P.S. I love Big Brother ! All hail Big Brother !

Time to go put a Jolly Roger on my business cards I guess.

I'm putting one as a bumper sticker.

Of course the MAFIAA are in on this ... and if this flies it will be over for FLOSS, M$ and the MAFIAA will win and forever reign supreme. I think it is time to take action.

I think you are right Hangdog42, I'm going to put jolly rogers on everything I own, and become a real pirate. I'll even join the pirate party (although I don't like their flag).

I'll use this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pi...ck_Rackham.svg

Aaahaaaaaargh! Me hearties! Don't ye go worryin' 'bout bein' called a pirate. It never did bother Cap'n Jack Sparrow none.

I think this is nothing but more hot air stirred up by MS and co. Honestly, I would like to see how they will challenge other companies such as IBM who also offers open source solutions, and such. Nevermind also that there are phones based on open source *cough* android *cough*, DVRs that use linux *cough* TiVO *cough*, and countless others. At this point this seems like a desperate flailing about by those who are beginning to lose out because they insist on old outdated business models. They are absolutely appalled by the fact that now even some consumers waking up and finding alternatives to their racketeering.

Of course this is nothing new, but either way I am not at all alarmed by this. This is just like the RIAA going after individuals for music sharing, it is impractical. There is no way they can bring lawsuits to every single person that uses open source software, and if they try, then let them drain their bank accounts further. Why not 'give them just enough rope for them to hang themselves with' or so the proverb goes. In other words:

"Let them sink their own ships, and go down into Davey Jones' locker by their own will...ARRRRR!"

One can of course call them to ask exactly what they are doing:

http://www.iipa.com/contactus.html

Neat. I am tempted to email them myself and ask them up front if *I* am a pirate, for using Linux for a desktop.

Yohoho and a bottle of rum !

No rum, a bottle Jack Daniels for me please.

ARRRRRR!

But seriously - I think as open source people, this just made us a lot cooler

I must be really confusing to them - I use open source AND I pay thousands for software...