[free-sklyarov] A Few Words in the Aftermath

[Izel Sulam]

First I would like to say, congratulations everyone!

I would especially like to thank the members of the EFF who were 
involved in today's negotiations, and the hundreds of people who 
put their efforts somehow or another into today's one of 20+ 
rallies all over the world.

We made Adobe look like a sore loser, an incompetent software 
peddler, and a jackbooted thug (all three of which it truly is) 
and Adobe management had no choice but to cave in, in order to 
watch out for its enlightened self-interest.

Do not be misled. This is not Adobe doing the right thing. This is 
Adobe going into damage control mode in the only way possible 
given the current conditions.

Current management is obviously no match for the recently retired 
CEO John Warnock, who would never have allowed events to escalate 
to this ridiculous point at the expense of Adobe's reputation and 
the goodwill of his customers. Current management has slaughtered 
the man's legacy, a legacy that took many many years to build. 
With that said, current management does not consist of idiots 
either, and they are trying to spin this situation in the best way 
possible and trying to survive. They did what they had to do and 
they had to say what they had to say. A bonus side effect of what 
they did and said is that the DOJ has lost its key witness in 
prosecuting Dmitry (making it very likely that the man will go 
free any day now) and also that Adobe is not likely to abuse the 
DMCA in this manner anytime soon.

This is a victory in a small battle, but the war is far from over. 
The war will be wrought in the days after Dmitry's release, over 
the DMCA itself.

Once again, congratulations everyone, and thanks.
- izel