[free-sklyarov] Newsweek Article (8/20 Issue)

[Karsten M. Self]

on Thu, Aug 16, 2001 at 11:23:52AM -0700, Bob La Quey (robertl1 at home.com) wrote:
> At 09:51 AM 8/16/01 -0700, you wrote:
> 
> >The economy was not Adobe's only worry in July. The company's image
> >took a beating after Adobe encouraged the federal government to
> >prosecute Elcom, a Russian company that had distributed code to crack
> >the security features in Adobe's software for electronic documents. 
> >
> >The grass roots response in the software developer community was
> >quick and furious. 
> >
> >``Last Monday, which was the height of the activity, I think I
> >counted up to 1,700 e-mails that I had gotten throughout the week,''
> >Chizen said. Since Adobe began advocating for Sklyarov's release, he
> >said the number has come down to a couple per day.
> >
> >
> >So, I'm not suggesting the companies are actually smoldering for
> >those who take each word so literally. Simply that this stuff does
> >matter to them, they are seeing it and the efforts are having some
> >impact.
> >
> >I think that impact should be respected and honoured. 
> 
> I totally agree with this. Moreover I certainly do believe that ADobe
> should not be let off the hook. They initiated the complaint that put
> Dmitry in jail in the first place. Where do they get off with just
> saying, "I'm sorry, I really did not mean it."? 

For most of us, they're not off the hook until they start hustling some
serious ass to get Dmitry safely home, and turn against the DMCA, not
just this "we pulled the trigger but didn't mean it" crap.  

The practical reality, though, is that they don't particulalry matter,
and given limited political capital and resources, we're better off
pressing for Dmitry to be freed, and to find an effective strategy
against the DMCA, than to keep pressing Adobe.  Though I have a note in
my sig line, FWIW.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself at ix.netcom.com>          http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?             There is no K5 cabal
  http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/               http://www.kuro5hin.org
   Free Dmitry! Boycott Adobe! Repeal the DMCA!    http://www.freesklyarov.org
Geek for Hire                        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/resume.html
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