*BSD News Article 64539


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From: Rick Forrister <rickf@glacier.jpl.nasa.gov>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.x,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Why to not buy Matrox Millennium
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 1996 09:01:50 -0800
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Pasadena CA
Lines: 60
Message-ID: <315AC5FE.63BC@glacier.jpl.nasa.gov>
References: <4j21ph$crr@slappy.cs.utexas.edu> <4j3muv$34m@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> <4j3v64$1rq@virtech.aib.com> <4j7dg2$t3t@moacs11.moacs.indiv.nl.net>
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To: Waldi Ravens <waldi@moacs.indiv.nl.net>
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Waldi Ravens wrote:
> 
> In article <4j3v64$1rq@virtech.aib.com>,
> David E. Wexelblat <dwex@aib.com> wrote:
> > In article <4j3muv$34m@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu>,
> > Marat Fayzullin <fms@wam.umd.edu> wrote:
> > >Take the existing drivers. Disassemble. Take a look. If they do not
> > >care about you, why should you care about their stinking industrial
> > >secrets?
> >
> > 1) It's illegal.
> 
> Boy, have I got news for you. Unlike you believe, USA laws do not aplly
> to the whole universe. They only apply to the USA. But most likely you
> wouldn't even know that other countries exist.
===========================================================================
That USA laws don't apply to the whole universe isn't the point.  They _DO_
apply in the USA, howevermuch we may disagree with many of them.  If XFree86
is here, then they are _EXTREMELY_ susceptable to legal action against them.
As far as not knowing about other countries, your lack of knowledge about
legal liability, and about efforts within XFree86 to earn respect and support
from recalcitrant companies like MGA/Matrox shows a phenominal level of
ignorance.

Out of curiousity, just what the hell have _YOU_ ever contributed to the
world-wide Linux community, other than a loud mouth?

============================================================================
> 
> > 2) You will make no friends in the XFree86[TM] community by doing so.  We
> >    will do all in our power to stop you.
> 
> I'm very impressed by your threads. I assure you, I would be most unhappy
> not to make friends with a community that posseses final wisdom and rules
> the universe. Undoubtedly all dutch judges will fall on their knees and
> beg forgiveness, when they realize they sinned against the Law of the
> allmighty XFree86 Community, whose name shallt not be spoken in vain.
> 
> > Idiots like you are what gives free software a bad name.
> 
> Thanks for showing your face so clearly. You're certainly doing all you
> can to give XFree86 a good name.
> 
> Waldi
> --
> Never let your schooling interfere with your education.

Davids choice of words might have been more polite, but it doesn't change the
restrictions he and the rest of the XFree86 community have to live with.  You
(and I) know damned little about what efforts they're making on everyone's
behalf.  Why not do something constructive, like asking them if there's anything
you can do that might help open MGA/Matrox up into supporting the Linux
community, as Diamond finally did?

-- 
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| Rick Forrister               | <rickf@glacier.jpl.nasa.gov      |
| Win 95: Where do you want to go today?                          |
| Linux:  What do you want tomorrow?                              |
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