A discussion of hybrid open source and proprietary licensing models.

[Sigmascape1 AT cs.com]

I realize that there has been, and will continue to be, a lot of discussion 
on this unfortunate story, but this is how I feel about it, and why I expect 
no less from Mr. Gates...

Microsoft does not enrich the cultural landscape with its products, and it 
never will. Microsoft uses patents and copyrights to make money, and that is 
certainly 100% legal. Where I have issue with Gates is his lack of 
understanding about what 'giving back' really means. If Gates understood the 
U.S. Constitution, he would realize that patents and copyrights are not 
perpetual, and that at some point, he and his company will have to 'give 
back.' By using flexible licensing, many 'give back' on a daily basis. Sort 
of meeting copyright law and the public domain halfway.

He may also be interested in why someone, anyone, would take some type of 
artistic work he or she created (software code, possibly) and wish to share 
it with the rest of the world. Basically, he misses the point that sharing 
creative works spawns new creative works, and it spawns new ways to make 
money. GNU/Linux is one of the great examples of how 'sharing' actually makes 
it easier to create and develop new works and products. Certainly the 
Creative Commons' licenses do this everyday, and I use them everyday. I know 
that my photos and digital art are being sampled, and in many cases, verbatim 
copies are being tossed around various P2P networks, and that's fine with me. 
I made the decision to 'give back' and I hope that others will as well.

Microsoft could be the most disliked company in the world, I don't know. I 
know it has to be in the top 10, and its place is well-deserved. Microsoft 
might be able to escape this top ten list if they were willing to engage the 
'communists' they claim are attempting to thwart their business plans. The 
day when Gates and the believers in giving back break bread together will be 
a great day, and it would take MS off the top ten list.

MLF

>Message: 1
>Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 11:10:55 -0500
>From: Marshall Van Alstyne <marshall AT MIT.EDU>
>Subject: [Cc-bizcom] Gates & (c) reform
>To: cc-bizcom AT lists.ibiblio.org
>Message-ID: <6.0.0.22.2.20050110110900.03eee508 AT po10.mit.edu>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
>The following is a short & fun article on the Creative Commons response to 
>Gates' assertions about copyright reform:
>
>http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,66209,00.html
>
>Happy new year.
>MVA
>
>
>
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>End of Cc-bizcom Digest, Vol 7, Issue 1
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