[wplug-board] Letter to P-G re BSA

[Vance Kochenderfer]

Hi all-

I'm considering sending this letter to the editor of the Post-
Gazette, but I'd like your opinion on whether it's a good idea
and/or what can be done to improve it.

The article: <http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07129/784374-96.stm>

The letter:

The article "Software industry group warns businesses on piracy"
(May 9) announces the Business Software Alliance's plans to crack
down on copyright infringement in the local area.  As an
alternative to paying expensive licensing fees or making illegal
copies, businesses should be aware of another option -- Free and
Open Source Software.

To get a taste, download and try the Firefox web browser or
OpenOffice.org office suite.  Go ahead and make as many copies as
you like and distribute them within your company or to friends.
The creators of these programs won't mind and won't send BSA
lawyers to your door -- that's what software freedom is all about.

Free and Open Source Software powers Google and over three
quarters of the world's top 500 supercomputers.  There's a good
chance it powers the wireless router sitting in your den.  It can
power your business, too.  To learn more, come out to one of the
Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group's (www.wplug.org) monthly
events.  We'd love to talk to local businesses about how they can
put Free and Open Source Software to work for them.

Vance Kochenderfer
Castle Shannon

(The writer is Vice-Chair of the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users
Group.)

Vance Kochenderfer        |  "Get me out of these ropes and into a
vkochend at nyx.net          |   good belt of Scotch"    -Nick Danger