"Plaintiffs attempted to exploit this inexperience by arguing that open source software involved behavior that was, if not downright illegal, at least ethically dubious. They promoted the fallacy that open source distributors unfairly take the property of others and thereby unfairly profit. They also suggested that Red Hat's public criticisms of the U.S. patent system as it relates to software and related calls for legal reform were un-American and indicated a secret fondness for the writings of Karl Marx."
> They also suggested that Red Hat's public criticisms of the U.S. patent system as it relates to software and related calls for legal reform were un-American and indicated a secret fondness for the writings of Karl Marx."
What an ignorant and destructive attitude - systems of free enterprise allow people to build whatever charity they want, whatever church they want, whatever business they want, build a worker's cooperative if they want, or create an open source platform. Marx advocated violence and control, free enterprise is the opposite of that. Free enterprise is not and shouldn't be equated with profit-seeking: For profit businesses are one way to build and better the world, but there are many other ways. Marx would have the government snuff out churches, businesses, private charities, and everything that isn't subordinate to the state. Free enterprise is the opposite of that.
> systems of free enterprise allow people to build whatever charity they want, whatever church they want, whatever business they want, build a worker's cooperative if they want, or create an open source platform
Kind of off-topic, but it's something that bothers me ...
Some free software activists should also be reminded of this, since their agenda is getting rid of proprietary software which is considered to be immoral / unethical. Some open-source projects or companies having a business on top of open-source are perpetually harassed for their choices, some of which are viewed to be in the detriment of free software.
It's the patent system that fits the 'un-American' bill here, when you get the government to grant you a monopoly on an often straight forward and obvious technique as it's the case for software patents, it's the opposite of free and competitive market.
Completely true - it's funny how so-called "capitalists" are so for the government helping them use force to enforce their "right" to intellectual "property". The whole language of this issues needs to be changed really. How about renaming pro-IPers "idea hoarders" or similar?
Wow. It's like a bad movie.