------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: From Sweden: Open source in developing countries Resent-Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 14:07:54 +0000 From: Wayne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
It is a difficult task, and I wonder if OSS will be taken seriously by government or even be considered a threat, as little or no money will change hands.
I don't know if you can say more about this aspect, but I find it fasciniating. I could read behind and between the lines as to what you meant by money changing hands, but I would rather hear you expand on it, if possible? >
One can buy Windows XP and Office XP
porfessional for less than US$ 2 and use it! Under such a scenario
OSS makes even less sense.
> Well, a little future extrapolation may help here. Microsoft is working on the next generation of Windows (Longhorn) and some next generation Intellectual Property technology and something called the secure computing initiative. We do know that they are rolling out a new file system layer on top of NTFS, that most likely will have hooks into the IP protection software (DRM digital rights managment). We also know they will try hard to make DRM either part of hardware/firmware or code that is illegal to by-pass (the world copyright act allows this to happen wherever enforcement can be had).
So, is it worth the risk for $2 compared to $0 (linux/openoffice/etc) that all your content and the future proper functioning of your computer system will be reliant upon royalty payments!
-- Wayne Wilson An attachment containing my pgp-signature is included. My public key fingerprint is: 9325 05AD 866B BCCB 45BF E86A 63E1 C6ED 4130 5461 My public key can be downloaded from wwwkeys.us.pgp.net
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