Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on February 18, 2004 07:37 AM
I noticed a fair amount of interpretation going on in this article. Since the UN document seemed rather vague on some points ("Nowhere in the WSIS documents was it deemed permissible to state the obvious: that free/open source software is the logical choice in achieving affordable solutions."), I had to wonder if there was a hidden agenda by the UN going on. Maybe it's just me, but when I read, "harness the potential of knowledge and technology" and "find effective and innovative ways to put this potential at the service of development for all.", I immediately wondered if they were going to give free copies of proprietary software to third-world counties. The arguement would probably be "you're depriving them of software that they can't afford anyway". The comparison to prescription drugs (which, by the way, US companies have agreed to the production of generics in other countries - despite what the article says) didn't make me feel any better because third world countries are clearly ignoring the very idea of intellectual property in creating generics. The only reason it is allowed to happen is because people are dying. On the other hand, software is not a life-or-death product like AIDS drugs. But, by putting them in the same category it makes me think that their thinking is somewhere along the lines that "we should be allowed to ignore software intellectual property rights just like we ignore drug patent intellectual property rights". The two are not the same thing.
My suspicions are only heightened by quotes like this: "We are also fully aware that the benefits of the information technology revolution are today unevenly distributed between the developed and developing countries and within societies. We are fully committed to turning this digital divide into a digital opportunity for all, particularly for those who risk being left behind and being further marginalized." They never actually say it, but I have to wonder if the unspoken next statement is "and that's way we are giving developing nations free copies of this proprietary software".
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interpretation?
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on February 18, 2004 07:37 AMMy suspicions are only heightened by quotes like this: "We are also fully aware that the benefits of the information technology revolution are today unevenly distributed between the developed and developing countries and within societies. We are fully committed to turning this digital divide into a digital opportunity for all, particularly for those who risk being left behind and being further marginalized." They never actually say it, but I have to wonder if the unspoken next statement is "and that's way we are giving developing nations free copies of this proprietary software".
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