I've already sent them email, thank you. If they don't respond via email, we'll send them a postal letter. Your efforts are appreciated, however! -russ
Ean R . Schuessler writes: > There is discussion occuring on SPI-General about the Al Gore campaign. > I think that popping in and offering _constructive_ advice would be prudent. > > ----- Forwarded message from Brent Fulgham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- > > X-Envelope-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: Brent Fulgham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "J.H.M. Dassen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Al Gore goes "Open Source"? [DRAFT LETTER] > Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 13:44:09 -0700 > X-UIDL: 5fff83d19b1493509c931c0f0d0af3b3 > > DRAFT LETTER > > Gore 2000, Inc. > P.O. Box 18237 > Washington, DC 20036-8237 > (202) 263-6000 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Dear Campaign Staff: > > Software in the Public Interest (SPI) was pleased to see Mr. Gore supporting > the Open Source (TM) movement. However, your campaign literature does not > properly attribute our registered service mark as required by law. > > As you know, under US law we must vigorously defend our service mark from > missuse or its meaning will be diluted and we will loose the authority to > prevent projects that do not comply with the Open Source (TM) requirements. > > In addition, some of the text of your website leads us to believe that your > Gore 2000 campaign project does not meet the requirements of an Open Source > (TM) project. > > 1. Your website is copyrighted with all rights reserved. It would be more > appropriate for you to license your website under the terms of a suitable > Open Source (TM) license. Please visit [sites] for additional information. > Please be aware that as an Open Source (TM) project, the "source code" for > your site must be available for anyone to use. We must point out that this > means that your political opponents have the right to use your source code. > > 2. There are some fairly onerous terms listed as part of your participation > requirements, including undisclosed terms. While we understand your > limitations in terms of capaign contributions under US law, it is important > that you disclose all legal requirements to your volunteers. You may not > limit the redistribution of items portrayed as "Open Source"(TM). > > 3. While you request assistance from developers with C programming, CGI, > Cold Fusion, and other languages, you do not provide access to your current > code base. If any such products exist, and you wish them to be open source, > you need to establish a mechanism for access to these resources. > > Finally, we have one last comment directed to your site that is not related > to its suitability as an Open Source (TM) project. You indicate support for > the Open Source (TM) movement, but you are running your web server on > Microsoft's server software. This is a bit of a contradiction, as Microsoft > has been documented as an antagonist to Open Source (TM) software, as > evidenced by the so-called "Halloween Memos" (reference). We respectfully > suggest that you evaluate a true Open Source (TM) product, such as GNU/Linux > or FreeBSD as an alternative. You could even continue to run Windows > software, but use the powerful Apache webserver. > > SPI wishes you and Mr. Gore the best of luck in the upcoming campaign. We > feel certain that now that you are aware of these issues that they will be > resolved to our mutual satisfaction. > > Sincerely, > > > Software in the Public Interest > ============================================= > > Ladies and Gentlemen, > > Please comment away! > > -Brent > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: J.H.M. Dassen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 1999 1:13 PM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Al Gore goes "Open Source"? > > > > > > Seen on /. (sorry, I can't get a working URL for the article > > itself at the > > moment): > > :Posted by CmdrTaco on 12:35 07 April 1999 EDT > > :from the sad-publicity-in-politics dept. > > :[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes "Can a web site be open source? Al Gore says > > so, and the > > :man did create the Internet, after all. Gore is looking for people to > > :contribute code for his presidential campaign site. The page > > says: "This is > > :your web site -- IT'S OPEN SOURCE -- and I want you to help > > us build it." " > > :They even have a cute little "Gore 2000 Logo" for officially > > approved "Gore > > :2000 Merchandise". And Tipper has her own section! Funniest > > thing I've seen > > :all morning. I wonder if this will meet the open source > > requirements. > > > > I strongly doubt this fits the Open Source definition, and I > > suspect this > > will be yet another contributing factor to the effective > > watering down of > > the meaning of "Open Source" to "meaningless buzzphrase" in > > the public's > > mind if it isn't corrected. Could someone please draft a nice letter > > encouraging Mr. Gore('s campaign team) to use "Open Source" > > in accordance > > with the service mark, or refrain from using it? > > > > Ray > > -- > > Tevens ben ik van mening dat Nederland overdekt dient te worden. > > > > > > -- > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ----- End forwarded message ----- > > -- > __________________________________________________________________ > Ean Schuessler A guy running Linux > Novare International Inc. A company running Linux > *** WARNING: This signature may contain jokes.
