On Sun, 2003-06-15 at 19:46, Adrian Midgley wrote:
> > >Mrs McCarthy reiterated her misleading statements along with
> > > insinuations about free/opensource software in the style of
> > > the Microsoft FUD department.  
> 
> My comment on there includes
> 
> "The newspeak description of Free/Libre Software as "a different 
> sort of monopoly" suggests to me the phrase passed through the 
> Rt Hon MEP having come from a briefer.
> 
> So can anyone pinpoint the briefing person, company, or interest 
> concerned?"

It might be Adam Smith. Yes, THAT Adam Smith. Grep for "a different sort
of monopoly" in Chapt VII, book IV of The Wealth of Nations (see
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/smith-adam/works/wealth-of-nations/book04/ch07c-2.htm

It is probably just a co-incidence but if true, the context is ironic,
because Smith was decrying the distortions caused by the State-sponsored
trade monopolies established in the European colonies - patents are of
course State-sponsored monopolies on the use of ideas.

> It certainly does sound similar to the MS brand of BS.

I suspect Ballmer and Gates are great fans of Adam Smith's laissez-faire
capitalism, at least it suits them.

-- 

Tim C

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