Open Source leaders on suing Microsoft: No, thanks

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Author: JT Smith

A column at ZDNet talks about how the recent ruling against breaking up Microsoft also leaves the software giant open to lawsuits. “When I passed around the idea of Linux users and
vendors taking Microsoft to court, the response was universally negative. Eric Raymond and
other members of the Open Source Initiative opposed it. Jon “Maddog” Hall, executive director
of vendor organization Linux International (who has written that he agrees with the court’s recent
findings), said he might endorse a lawsuit if someone else started one but would not initiate one
himself. And Linus Torvalds seemed to share the concerns of many: that technology issues can’t
really be solved by the courts. ‘I’m ready to protect my copyright,’ Linus said, ‘but I sincerely
hope that I’ll never in my life be part of a lawsuit, either as the suing party or the defendant.
Lawsuits are a real nuisance and not worth your time.’ “

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