Advocates of proprietary and open approaches to software technology standards had clashed within the organization, which is known as the United Nations Center for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, or U.N./Cefact. Microsoft, a maker of proprietary software, opposes the use of open-source software, which is freely shared.
The dispute became public in February, when some members of the United Nations organization complained that Microsoft was financing the group’s activities in an effort to persuade the organization to adopt its software.
[With all of the talk about dumping the GPL, what about Intellectual Property (IP)? It seems that proprietary code, which allows a single company to have control, is more of a threat than freedom. – OwlWhacker]”
Link: nytimes.com
