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Block a FOSS release because being free interferes with commercial interests?

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40hz:
Only in Switzerland... ;D

This in from the folks over at HeiseOnline's HOpen website. Once again demonstrating the truth of the old adage: If you can't compete or innovate - litigate!

Swiss proprietary companies block government open source release

Reports from Switzerland say that proprietary software companies are complaining about government plans to release open source solutions it has developed on the grounds of cross subsidy. A report from OSOR.EU says the issue emerged early in July as the IT department of the Swiss federal court was planning to release OpenJustitia.

In 2007, the Swiss federal court began development of its own internal document management system, OpenJustitia, designed to make it more efficient to search through court decisions. In 2009, the court's IT department announced it would release the system as open source under the GPLv3. This summer, it was expected that OpenJustitia would be released to allow other courts to make use of it.

But in a surprising intervention, proprietary software makers have called for the release to be delayed, claiming that the state is interfering in the market.
--- End quote ---

Interesting wrinkle. Almost a cousin to Steve Ballmer's famous argument GPL was in violation of US law because (according to him) the concept of requiring "free" and "open"code was undermining the commercial interests that copyright and patent laws were set up to protect.

Love it! :-\

Renegade:
Oh god...

 :mad:

I just don't know what to say.

Shades:
If the software created by the government improves the workflow in their departments, hence lift the financial burden these departments have on society then the government did what these closed source companies couldn't/wouldn't do.

And these companies go to court over this? Sue each of those companies for obstructing the law and freeze their assets until proven otherwise.
Hey, if it is about a pissing contest, SpoilerI hopefully don't have to explain that is not for nothing why the law has a long arm...

As society already has paid the salaries, work environments etc. for the ones who created the software it appears to me that making the software open source is the only correct path to follow.

Go Swiss government!  :Thmbsup:

Deozaan:
So why not make the software developer(s) a non-government programming studio. That way it won't be the government that is interfering with the markets.

As society already has paid the salaries, work environments etc. for the ones who created the software it appears to me that making the software open source is the only correct path to follow.-Shades (August 02, 2011, 04:10 PM)
--- End quote ---

That seems to me to be a great logical conclusion. :Thmbsup:

Eóin:
This story sounds a lot more complex than the usual patent/copyright farces we often hear about. I'm going to reserve judgement for now.

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