Whats with this protesting European Patenting Stuff?

[billy_gates]

A couple of the websites I visit.  mainly www.xboxmediaplayer.de have gone into some sort of protes thing against what the EU is trying to do about software patents or something.

My question is why are the people shutting down their sites to protest, why can't they just vote like normal people.  They can also stop investing money in patented software.  But stop fucking protesting you long haired tree hugging liberal hippies!
God damn it, I don't like Protestors.  They don't get anything done, and their protests almost always turn out violent and dangerous.

I am a capitalist.  When it comes to business there is only one way to vote.  With your wallet.  Now this mixes politics with business.  So now there are 2 ways to vote.  A ballot (I would assume contacting your representative, although not sure how people in europe are represented) and with your wallet. I highly doubt protesting it going to do anything.  And it esecially isn't when the people that protest have shut down the sites that the businesses want them to close cus they give free stuff away.

Just my 2c

[Pissed_Macman]

Calum is gonna tear you limb from limb now.

[billy_gates]

quote:Originally posted by Macman:
Calum is gonna tear you limb from limb now.

now that I am of write mind... let me "fix" some my statements.

The long haired tree hugging liberals hippes... just change that to liberals
The part that says they don't get anything done... add (usually)

thats about it.  The rest, to my best knowledge is true.

[Stilly]

isn't this site a bit of a protest to microsoft

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by jeffberg: Mac Capitalist:
A couple of the websites I visit.  mainly www.xboxmediaplayer.de have gone into some sort of protes thing against what the EU is trying to do about software patents or something.

My question is why are the people shutting down their sites to protest, why can't they just vote like normal people.  They can also stop investing money in patented software.  But stop fucking protesting you long haired tree hugging liberal hippies!
God damn it, I don't like Protestors.  They don't get anything done, and their protests almost always turn out violent and dangerous.

I am a capitalist.  When it comes to business there is only one way to vote.  With your wallet.  Now this mixes politics with business.  So now there are 2 ways to vote.  A ballot (I would assume contacting your representative, although not sure how people in europe are represented) and with your wallet. I highly doubt protesting it going to do anything.  And it esecially isn't when the people that protest have shut down the sites that the businesses want them to close cus they give free stuff away.

Just my 2c

Your a good "American"

[hm_murdock]

dude! I thought that hanging out here and associating with people like me would show you... PROTESTS ARE COOL!

See, the protest needs to become real. There needs to be picketing and speeches and the like to go along with this, but nobody ever organizes that. Business and the government don't see the Internet as "real", except when it's convenient for them. Therefore, an internet protest means nothing. We need real protests in the streets, telling them what is meant and what the consequences of failure are.

We need a way for the people to censure government and business FOR REAL. "voting with wallets" isn't enough... if business is going to be the 5th branch of government (right behind the military) then they need a way to be FULLY ACCOUNTABLE for their fuckups.

What say you guys? A system where the people could vote that a business be disbanded? Their assets seized, distributed among the community? Their executives incarcerated, and while behind bars, have to pay for their former employees to live?

I LIKE THIS IDEA AND YOU SHOULD TOO.

[Faust]

quote:God damn it, I don't like Protestors. They don't get anything done, and their protests almost always turn out violent and dangerous.

Yeah fuck that Ghandi guy.  Fucking hippy.  So you're saying that even if we believe that something wrong is happening that we should just shut up and wait four years to let it keep happening?  Are you saying the Jews should have just "shut up and vote like normal people" when the Nazi regime came along?  What happens when a government doesn't care about a minorities vote?  Should black people in America have just "shut up and voted" about segregation even though they knew they were in a minority?  What about those black and or jewish Florida residents who got excluded from voting because Bush didn't want them to?  They can't vote should they protest?  What about Iraqis who have no right to vote?  Protesting allowed by his majesty then?

Unlike you you little Hitler fucktard I've actually been to protests.  "Usually turn violent" my fucking arse, get a clue.

[Faust]

quote:When it comes to business there is only one way to vote. With your wallet.

What about poor people you fuck?  And isn't not buying Microsoft products (voting with your wallet) a kind of protest?  Like suse said, you're a "good American."  Not much of a moralist though.

[Pissed_Macman]

quote:What say you guys? A system where the people could vote that a business be disbanded? Their assets seized, distributed among the community? Their executives incarcerated, and while behind bars, have to pay for their former employees to live?

I LIKE THIS IDEA AND YOU SHOULD TOO.

I like it, but this would not solve our microsoft problems since the majority of americans aren't aware of how dangerous MS is. Also, if people in America did manage to get MS disbanded, think of the reprecussions that would have on other countries, especially with Microsoft. It wouldn't work, but it would be nice if it did.

[Baikonur]

quote: Yeah fuck that Ghandi guy.  Fucking hippy.  So you're saying that even if we believe that something wrong is happening that we should just shut up and wait four years to let it keep happening?  Are you saying the Jews should have just "shut up and vote like normal people" when the Nazi regime came along?  What happens when a government doesn't care about a minorities vote?  Should black people in America have just "shut up and voted" about segregation even though they knew they were in a minority?  What about those black and or jewish Florida residents who got excluded from voting because Bush didn't want them to?  They can't vote should they protest?  What about Iraqis who have no right to vote?  Protesting allowed by his majesty then?

Unlike you you little Hitler fucktard I've actually been to protests.  "Usually turn violent" my fucking arse, get a clue.

Right the fuck on.  

Protests prevent the government from impinging too deeply on the rights of citizens in the geopolitical matrix.

A quote that supports (rather, immortalizes) the concept of individuals "going against the grain" as a BOLSTER to the advance of human kind, rather than a barrier:

"Thousands of years ago, the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burned at the stake he had taught his brothers to light. He was considered an evildoer who had dealt with a demon mankind dreaded. But thereafter men had fire to keep them warm, to cook their food, to light their caves. He had left them a gift they had not conceived and he had lifted darkness off the earth. Centuries later, the first man invented the wheel. He was probably torn on the rack he had taught his brothers to build. He was considered a transgressor who ventured into forbidden territory. But thereafter, men could travel past any horizon. He had left them a gift they had not conceived and he had opened the roads of the world.

"That man, the unsubmissive and first, stands in the opening chapter of every legend mankind has recorded about its beginning. Prometheus was chained to a rock and torn by vultures--because he had stolen the fire of the gods. Adam was condemned to suffer--because he had eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Whatever the legend, somewhere in the shadows of its memory mankind knew that its glory began with one and that that one paid for his courage.

"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received--hatred. The great creators--the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors--stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won."

--Ayn Rand

Full quote here.

[jasonlane]

quote: My question is why are the people shutting down their sites to protest, why can't they just vote like normal people.  

So it worked eh??? I mean even you noticed what's going on now.  

 

quote: They can also stop investing money in patented software.  But stop fucking protesting you long haired tree hugging liberal hippies!
God damn it, I don't like Protestors.  They don't get anything done, and their protests almost always turn out violent and dangerous.

No they "turn out violent and dangerous" when Nazi, jackbotted "Policemen" start beatting and kicking them. I'ts called self defense,

 

quote: I am a capitalist.  When it comes to business there is only one way to vote.  With your wallet.  Now this mixes politics with business.  So now there are 2 ways to vote.  A ballot (I would assume contacting your representative, although not sure how people in europe are represented) and with your wallet. I highly doubt protesting it going to do anything.  And it esecially isn't when the people that protest have shut down the sites that the businesses want them to close cus they give free stuff away.

Great I'm happy for you, being a capitalist you'd realize then that to maintain a healthy state of Capitalism requires diversity, dynamism and competition. Certain large companies in this world would like to turn your happy state of Capitalism into some form of econonmic dictatorship, that's what these people are protesting against.

So you're wrong to say that protesting doesn't work, I've e-mailed my local MEP's (Minister of Europen Parliament) and they also seems a bit anixious about letting this law pass. Heaven forbid that we are lead into the same farcical, idiotic situation that you now find yourself in the USA.

Apart from the fact that you knew nothing about the EU change in patent law, you visit a website that was participating, hey presto, now you know all about it....

I'd call that a success

[billy_gates]

quote:Originally posted by Faust:


Yeah fuck that Ghandi guy.  Fucking hippy.  So you're saying that even if we believe that something wrong is happening that we should just shut up and wait four years to let it keep happening?  Are you saying the Jews should have just "shut up and vote like normal people" when the Nazi regime came along?  What happens when a government doesn't care about a minorities vote?  Should black people in America have just "shut up and voted" about segregation even though they knew they were in a minority?  What about those black and or jewish Florida residents who got excluded from voting because Bush didn't want them to?  They can't vote should they protest?  What about Iraqis who have no right to vote?  Protesting allowed by his majesty then?

Unlike you you little Hitler fucktard I've actually been to protests.  "Usually turn violent" my fucking arse, get a clue.

this kind of attack was the exact reason I fixed this statement on the third post.
"Add (Usually)"

Ghandi and The Civil Rights Movement are very good examples of proper protesting.  But remember, they took YEARS to do this and were completely peacful.

Now if we all get into a protest against MS then we will probably have signs and walking in a circle at MS campus.  We are now the violent ones.  We are now trying to DESTROY a company, that is violent.  Not to mention we would probably beat eachother sensless too.

I do not consider myself protesting because I have not paused my life to visit this web site or post on these forums.  I do this in my extra time.  Protesting is when you pause your life, shut down your website, or quit your job to go stand somewhere with signs yelling and hurting people and vomiting on the entrances to buildings.

Also, about the people in florida not getting a vote:
if you can't punch the card properly you do not DESERVE to vote.  If you are so STUPID that you can't properly punch a card then your vote shouldn't count.
I have also NEVER heard anything about any specific religion not getting a vote in florida.  It seemed to me only stupid people didn't get a vote. (do u have an article to back this one up?)

And you're right suse I am a good American... not a perfect American... I am not blinded by patriotism, i just support my overly elaborate and luxurious American way of life.
And Faust the lack of morals towards helping others when they should help themselves comes with the republican territory.


oh ya LOWER TAXES and CUT FUNDING    

[ August 31, 2003: Message edited by: jeffberg: Mac Capitalist ]

[Faust]

No the correct response was tax the rich to all buggery and then let people have a decent health care system.  Who decides who is allowed to protest anyway?  You?  You think normal protestors are bad and Gandhi is allowable, but how do you know before hand what protests to ban?  The US was founded on protest and letting the opressed have a chance - it's a pity a few misguided morons have decided to think that protesting what you think is wrong a dirty thing.

[Faust]

By the way if an individual decides to protest on THEIR site who are you to complain?  Make your own site if you want you freeloading communist hippy.      

edit:
 

quote:We are now trying to DESTROY a company, that is violent.

Ghandi tried to DESTROY british occupation, thats violent and must be disallowed.  South Africans tried to violently end aparteid and DESTROY it, what violent fuckers we shoulda put down that little rebellion huh?

Re:Zardoz
Yeah we get violent cops too.  And hey, when it goes bad guess who gets blamed?  Certainly not the cops.  At some protests towards the end of 2001 (s11 protests - completely unrelated to the NY tragedy cos it hadnt happened yet) cops rode horses into the crowd.  What gets put on the TV?  "Violent protestors attack police horses."  Of course horses will balk you dumb fucks, they dont exactly like trampling living people...
Oh and Jeffberg I'm so glad to hear that protesting involves "significant amounts of time."
 

quote:I do this in my extra time.

 I see now that protesting anything less than once a week isnt real protesting and is thus allowable by lord Jeffberg.      


Face it dude the only reason you're upset is because two minutes of your "valuable" time got wasted by someone who wanted you to think.

[ August 31, 2003: Message edited by: Faust ]

[Faust]

protest:
1 an objection or disapproval
2 to object or disaprove
3 to state strongly or positively

Jeffberg:
objects and disapproves of microsoft software
states so strongly

Jeffberg is thus a filthy communist protestor and makes me sick to my stomache.    How dare he express an opinion!