[free-sklyarov] An apology and an affirmation

[Jay Sulzberger]

On Tue, 18 Dec 2001, Richard Stallman wrote:

> When I read Seth Finkelstein's message saying that Sklyarov had agreed
> to "cooperate with the United States in its ongoing prosecution", and
> showing damaging-looking statements he had agreed to make, it appeared
> that he was giving the US government exactly what it wants in order to
> nail ELCOM and put a nail in the coffin of our freedom.  I commented
> based on that understanding of the nature of the deal.
>
> Since then, people have told me that the situation is more
> complicated; that his testimony won't necessarily help the prosecution
> much, and that the deal will make it easier for ELCOM to argue its
> case.  I'm glad to hear that things are not as bad as they looked.  So
> I withdraw my criticism of Sklyarov for making the deal, and I
> apologize if I misjudged its nature.
>
> The truly important issue is not one programmer, one company, or one
> case; it is the DMCA and our freedom.  On this issue, I stand by what
> I have said.  We must put the strongest pressure on Adobe, on movie
> companies that make encrypted DVDs, and on any other companies that
> now or in the future use the DMCA weapon against our freedom.  We must
> teach them to regret their arrogance.

Thanks, Richard, for this retraction.

oo--JS.