Date: Sat, 09 May 1998 10:24:10 -0700 From: Amancio Hasty <hasty@rah.star-gate.com> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Advocay: Pro Choice Tax! Message-ID: <199805091724.KAA11085@rah.star-gate.com>
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Was just thinking about the following model: Allow PC computer manufacturers to sell alternative OS distributions such as FreeBSD required them to provide functional equivalent distributions for instance bundle in a version of an office suite such as StarOffice, Corel Office and have the PC manufacturers pay the software vendors a sum similar to what they are paying microsoft. Targetted PC manufacturers are IBM, HP, and Compaq given that they are familiar with Unix. Perhaps we should focus on HP ( I work for HP as a consultant) and as a whole they are anti-monopolistic which is strange given their recent alliance with microsoft. It is very clear that the PC manufacturers completely ignore Ralph Nader's request to provide alternative OS distributions;nevertheless , I noticed that PC manufacturers and microsoft are concerned with the possibility of Win 98 being delayed by pressure from the DOJ. Hence, this is the right time to petition PC manufacturers to offer FreeBSD distributions via a two prong strategy encourage the DOJ to block win 98 and ask the PC manufacturers to provide alternative OS distributions . What we need is a nice letter drafted by someone like Brett requesting the DOJ to block Win 98 until microsoft allows its pc manufacturers to provide an alternative OS without penalty . Second a letter to PC manufacturers asking them to provide alternative OS distributions and perhaps add in the letter a copy of the letter to the DOJ . At this stage we seek alternative OS distributions from the manufacturers. We need also a list of attorney generals involved in the anti-trust law suit if not a list of all attorney generals with fax , phone , address, or e-mail. The contact info for DOJ dept conducting the anti-trust lawsuit against microsoft. After the first few rounds of revisions from this email and once we have secured the letter from Brett I suggest we plaster this request all over the Net. *We* do not have weeks to act rather just a few precious and important days. The DOJ and US State Attorneys plan to file action by May 15 if we act by Monday we still have a chance of making impact. Happy Protest!! Amancio To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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