Monday, Nov. 28 at 5pm Ames Courtroom, Harvard Law School 1515 Mass. Ave., Cambridge MA
Public Lecture by Brad Smith, General Counsel of Microsoft: "The Future of Software, the Internet, and Innovation" Sponsored by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and the Harvard Journal on Law and Technology (JOLT) Here are some things to keep in mind if you go: Don't focus on what he says--look for the hidden assumptions he takes for granted, and bring them out in the open. Assumptions like, "You should want software that works well, and never mind if it respects your freedom." Some issue you can try to bring up in your questions: * Microsoft can try to compete with free software on price, quality, and features--but freedom is something it does not even offer. * Microsoft buys influence in schools and governments to push users toward Microsoft; Microsoft is trying to buy the Massachusetts legislature now. * Microsoft's contracts that require us to pay for Windows even if we don't use it should be illegal. * Microsoft has been convicted twice of monopolistic behavior in the US alone. The second time, Bush let Microsoft off the hook after receiving campaign contributions. * Microsoft has tried to make the Internet adopt "standards" which Microsoft patent license policies forbid free software to support. If you attend, please send us a mail about how things went. -- John Sullivan Program Administrator | Phone: (617)542-5942 x23 51 Franklin Street, 5th Fl. | Fax: (617)542-2652 Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA | GPG: AE8600B6 _______________________________________________ Info-member mailing list <[email protected]> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-member
