Linux desktop push could benefit disabled (fwd)

[Gregory Nowak]

Not only are accessibility corporations the wrong answer most of the time, but as speakup proves, they are usually the more expensive and more cheesy answer.
Greg



> ----- Original Message -----
>From: Kirk Wood <cpt.kirk at 1tree.net
>To: speakup at braille.uwo.ca
>Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 17:11:59 -0500 (CDT)
>Subject: Re: Linux desktop push could benefit disabled (fwd)

>Don't feel bad, apperently the "whole" open source community thinks that
>the sky is going to fall over the latest W3 consideration.  You see if one
>takes time to read it, they will realize that what it does is allow some
>macroslop person to not lose all rights to info that is shared while
>working at the W3 labs at MIT.  Currently if a researcher for a company
>goes to MIT for joint work, any input they give will imediately becoem the
>property of MIT.  This is looking to change that.

>The next thing is something to be somewhat concerned with.  While I think
>it worth your time to voice an opinion to congress people, it will not be
>the end of the world.  First, there has to be a standard.  Second, once the
>standard is in place open source can impliment it.  The ability of a bright
>individual being able to disable said restriction would in no way impact
>the product.  This would be akin for someone suing macroslop cause someone
>found a way to get arround the country limitation on DVDs.

>It might become illegal to modify your software to work arround the
>standard.  It might (probably will) be illegal for you to tell others how
>to disable the copyright protection.  But it won't make linux in its
>entirety illegal.  It won't keep someone from using the current
>technology.  It (again) isn't the end of the world.

>We also should not think that a project would be dead (gnome 2) just
>because sun dumps it from their plate.  Gnome started without sun.  It can
>continue with it.  Sure the help is good.  Sure we should be glad for
>corperate help.  But speakup should be proof enough that corperations are
>not the answer to accesibility.  In fact, it is proof they are the wrong
>answer most of the time.

>=======
>Kirk Wood
>Cpt.Kirk at 1tree.net

>"When I take action, I'm not going to fire a $2 million missle at
>a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt.  It's going to be decisive."
>	- President George Bush


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