[OT] Free software versus software idea patents

[harrismh777]

Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> Let's reword your concern slightly:
>
>
>      It's difficult to take a claim of “free” seriously for
>      technologies (including, but not limited to, HTML, CSS, C++,
>      XML, Public Key Cryptography, packet-based multimedia, IPv6)
>      that knowingly or unknowingly [the later not being a defence
>      against infringement] implement techniques covered by specific
>      idea patents held by an entity that allegedly demonstrates
>      every intention, or at least some intention, of wielding them
>      to restrict the freedom of software recipients.

Steve, this is a straw man argument. Its not good argument to reword 
'his' concern, nor to provide a non-related analogy, nor to build a 
straw man that you can easily knock down. In doing so, your argument 
loses merit (bad enough) but also you end up missing the other point.

No one is 'singling out' Mono. Mono and .NET are just examples of evil 
proprietary frameworks|software designed to lock-in market share and 
usurp freedom.  There are *many* other examples that we might talk 
about. But the main point is that if you value freedom, you will not 
support proprietary frameworks. So, if a software package, like just for 
example (Cobra), relies on .NET (or Mono) then Cobra is a bad thing for 
freedom in computer scinece. If Python is free software ( at least GPL 
compatible license ) then Python is a 'good thing' from the standpoint 
of freedom in computer science. That was the comparison.

There is no FUD here...

NO FEAR
Absolutely CERTAIN
NO DOUBT

kind regards,
m harris