[DMCA-Activists] Groklaw: Gates v. Denmark

[Seth Johnson]

> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050215071109231


Gates v. Denmark

Tuesday, February 15 2005 @ 07:11 AM EST


If you have ever wondered what Bill Gates says when he flies to
Europe to meet with heads of state, we now have clarity, as
business dudes might put it. Here's an article in Danish on
precisely what Bill told Denmark he'd do if they opposed the
software patents directive, followed by a rough translation by an
alert Groklaw reader there, one of several to send this item to
us:


    "Stifteren af verdens største softwarevirksomhed Bill Gates
er nu parat til at lukke Navision i Danmark og flytte de knap 800
udviklere bag Danmarks største softwaresucces til USA."

        The founder of the world's largest software company, Bill
Gates, is now ready to shut down Navision in Denmark and move
around 800 developers behind Denmarks biggest software success to
the US.

    "Det slog Microsoft-chefen fast, da han i november mødtes med
statsminister Anders Fogh Rasmussen (V), samt økonomi- og
erhvervsminister Bendt Bendtsen (K), og videnskabsminister Helge
Sander (V). "

        The Microsoft leader made that clear, when he meet with
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Economic and Business
Minister Bendt Bendtsen and Science Minister Helge Sander in
November.

    "Truslen risikerer at blive ført ud i livet, hvis det lykkes
dele af IT-branchen at få blokeret et omstridt EU-direktiv om
patenter på software, som Microsoft for alt i verden gerne vil
have vedtaget, men som gang på gang er blevet forhalet takket
være modstandernes effektive lobbyarbejde. "

        The threat risks being executet, if part of the IT
business manages to block the disputed EU directive on patenting
software, that Microsoft wants so dearly, but time and time again
has been postponed thanks to efficient lobbying by anti-patent
opposition.

    "»Hvis jeg skal beholde mit udviklingscenter i Danmark,
kræver det, at der kommer en afklaring på rettighedsspørgsmålet.
Ellers flytter jeg det til USA, hvor jeg kan beskytte mine
rettigheder,« sagde Bill Gates ifølge Microsofts chefjurist
Marianne Wier, der også deltog på mødet med Anders Fogh
Rasmussen."

        "If I am to keep my development center in Denmark, I must
have clearity on the rights issue. Otherwise I will move to the
US, where I can protect my rights," said Gates according to to
Microsoft chief attorney Marianne Wier, who also attended the
meeting with Anders Fogh Rasmussen. 


So, how do you like it? Still want to use this nice man's
software? Here's FFII's statement. "Børsen", I'm told, is the
largest financial daily in Denmark, sort of like our Wall St.
Journal.

Speaking of rights, you all have the right to stop using
Microsoft software, you know. Thanks to Richard Stallman and his
GNU Project, Linus Torvalds, and thousands and thousands of
good-hearted and skilled programmers who cared enough to give the
world some very fine software, you actually do have a choice. If
enough companies, individuals, and governments make that choice,
this kind of bullying would be so over.