[Linux-aus] Re: Article in BRW: Free Software Threat

[Andrew Donnellan]

On 9/4/06, Donna Benjamin <donna at mel8ourne.org> wrote:
> Printed in BRW Issue August 31 2006, Page 18.
>
> Free Software Threat
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Legislation being drafted by the federal Attorney General's department
> could threaten the legality of open-source software, forcing companies
> to start paying millions of dollars for licensed that they currently get
> free.

Anyone know which legislation this article refers to? The FTA copyright stuff?

>
> The new laws could drive up technology costs for Australian companies
> and add to the $20 billion information and communications technology
> trade deficit.
>
> Use of open-source software, which is distributed under public licence
> (unprotected by copyright laws), is growing worldwide.

As we all know this is incorrect, but it's a minor error :)

>
> Linux, the open-source operating system for servers is one example.
> Research group IDC predicts that 29% of servers in 2008 will ship will
> be shipped with Linux. An estimated one million copies of
> OpenOffice.org, a free alternative to Microsoft Office, have been
> downloaded on Australia's 10 million PCs.

Interesting numbers. I wonder if we'll have a "Which OS do you run?"
question in the 2011 Census :)

andrew


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