SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot

Subject: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 12 May 00 - 03:15 PM

Slashdot is a forum for tech geeks. Chat at Slashdot tends to be less friendly than at the Mudcat, in my opinion. But anyhow, according to This article in the Washington Post, Microsoft is threatening Slashdot, under the provisions of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, with legal action unless slashdot removes certain comments from its discussion forum which they claim violate Microsoft's copyrights or trade secrets or something.

Maybe we don't consider ourselves geeks or nerds here, but if an internet discussion forum is under attack, we might be well advised to pay close attention: the mudcat might be the next forum which is advised to delete chat posts from its archive.

Here is the slashdot discussion which started the fuss.

Here is the slashdot discussion on Microsoft's threat.

Here is a slashdot discussion on news-media reporting of the matter.

Here is a funny cartoon about the matter.

T.

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Peg
Date: 12 May 00 - 03:27 PM

wow, this sounds like censorship to me!!! Microsoft has had its feathers ruffled plenty in recent months and they are behaving like petulant brats; they admit no wrongdoing and now they think they can demand that no one say anything mean about them...

this may be the future of the inernet, sad to say

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: MK
Date: 12 May 00 - 03:33 PM

God forbid they should lose their ability to INNOVATE.

Michael K.
(who wishes he could vomit on Bill Gates instead of throwing a pie at him.)

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Bill D
Date: 12 May 00 - 09:16 PM

Microsoft has essentially marketed octagonal wheels, while threatening and eating companies that might invent ROUND wheels, and call their bumpy ride 'innovation'....do they want anyone talking about this in the media and calling attention to it? Can't say I'm surprised at their attempts to stifle news...

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: GUEST,Okiemockbird
Date: 12 May 00 - 11:08 PM

Good discussion of some of the issues involved is available from a UK web site, The Register, here and here.

T>

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 13 May 00 - 01:35 AM

A few weeks ago our local (weekly) newspaper listed the top fifty oxymorons. Number one was "Microsoft Works"!

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 May 00 - 03:01 AM

OOoooooo! Gee you guys get all the great battles!

More power to the User!

Seems like you can't publish the instructions for using a toothpick without some big conglomerate company telling you it's a secret....

Go to it chaps, love the cartoon.

LTS

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Chocolate Pi
Date: 13 May 00 - 09:11 PM

eeeep. And /. was having all that trouble about their own internal violation of privacy/ethics in using anonymous posts in _Voices_From_the_Hellmouth just a few weeks ago. and it's all about proprietary information again, Kerberos code or archived posts or copyright ownership ...

Chocolate Pi (coherence and lack of sleep share an inverse square relationship)

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: Chicky
Date: 13 May 00 - 11:15 PM

Rather amusing (and tenuously music-related) article about Microsoft HERE.

- Chicky

Subject: RE: SERIOUS BS: Microsoft bullies Slashdot
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 May 00 - 06:39 PM

None of those links Okie gave got me anywhere, except the cartoon one. They just came up with "page not available" messages. I hope that just means masses of people are trying to visit the site, and not that Bill Gates Stormtroopers have taken it apart...