[ILUG] MPlayer

[John Madden]

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On (11/03/05 00:20), Sean O Sullivan didst pronounce:
> just went to mplayer website there ... mplayer has been shut down due to 
> patent infringements ...
> from the site :
> 
It hasn't been shut down. It has changed its homepage to emphasize the
point about the software patent legislation in the EU. There's a link at
the bottom of the page stating :
"Enter the MPlayer homepage while it is still available" and linking to
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/news.html

I think anyone running a webpage within the EU should do the same thing,
since the software patent legislation could shut down the website
itself, as well as any projects that are being hosted on it.

The possiblility of this directive becoming law is now in our hands, and
the hands of every European Union citizen. If the possibility of this
directive becoming law goes against your beliefs in a free society in
which to live, and write code, then contact your local MEP and say so to
him/her. If we don't fight this now, we may not get another chance.

The European Parliament still has a second reading in which to propose
amendments, or completely scrap the directive. Contact your MEP's and
ask them their position on it. If they're for it, then ask them why. Put
forward realistic scenarios where this directive, should it become law,
would ruin a business, shut down an open source project, or simply make
the MEP's own website in violation of the patent legislation.

It's long been said that there is strength in numbers, and I believe
this is still true. If enough people show they are against this
directive becoming law, then it cannot become law, without making the EU
governing bodies look like they have no regard for the people living and
working in the EU.

Lastly, I think there is still much that can be done. I think businesses
who depend on open source should shut down for a day in protest (I know
it's difficult etc. etc., and no, I don't have solutions to your
problems), since if this directive becomes law, you could be shut down
for good. We need to show the government how much it could lose if this
becomes law. Sure, Microsoft, IBM and friends bring in money, but they
don't support this country or the EU. If they closed their plants in
Ireland tomorrow, there'd be a lot of unemployment, but at least a lot
of those unemployed people could get jobs with startup or small software
companies. If this directive becomes law, a lot of those companies could
become extinct, meaning when Microsoft etc. do shut up shop and leave
the country, there's nowhere for their ex-employees to go.

Right. I think I've had too much to drink, and I'm ranting, so I'm going
to leave it at that.

- -- 
Chat ya later,

John.
- --
BOFH excuse #1: clock speed
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