About time!
Almost four years after a Decision of the European Commission found Microsoft in blatant breach of antitrust laws, more than nine years after the initial complaint was filed by Sun Microsystems, we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Today Microsoft and the Samba Team struck a deal to create the WSPP agreement.
Big party yesterday at Fluendo, free flow of Champagne (well, almost), a lot of interesting people.
There is still no translation of this article. I would not oppose anybody offering a translation. ;-)
Il 29 Giugno 2007 è stata pubblicata la terza versione della GNU GPL, la licenza “principe” del Software Libero – o Open Source. La nuova versione segue a quasi sedici anni di distanza la precedente versione. Perché questo evento era atteso con trepidazione – da qualcuno con ansia e qual è l'importanza di una licenza? Quali sono le conseguenze che l'approvazione di una licenza possono portare?
All Good Things (TM) must come to an end. Sometimes also bad things. I take the view that the ongoing non compliance of Microsoft to Antitrust laws, and in particular to March 2004 Decision of the EC Commission, was a bad thing.
Today Commissioner Kroes issued a press statement where she claims victory and that she forced Microsoft to compliance. I have still not seen the detailed documents, but it would appear that -- with the exception of the patent license -- she is right.
From 25 to 28 October, in Florence, an important event will take place where digital liberties will be discussed, in the framework of the Festival della Creatività (Festival of creativity), organized by Fondazione Sistema Toscana with the patronage of the Tuscan Government.
I am writing this while waiting for my flight to take me back to Milan. I thought it was a good idea to settle down a little bit and start sharing with you the incredible feelings I have experienced today. Where I was it is clear from this video, from Youtube. I am the one behind the barrister who is wearing a wig in the first shot of it.
Revised to cover some more press reports: now in addition to WSJ we have Groklaw, Robert Weir, CBR online, Punto Informatico (Italian) and Mimmo Cosenza (Italian).
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) runs another article written by Charles Forelle, who already wrote a story on 30th August, with a balanced and impartial view. The article sports some lines of mine, gathered during a chat with the author.