[Fsfe-uk] Re: Patented videoshop opens in Wales

[Kevin Donnelly]

On Friday 05 December 2003 6:14 pm, Marco Schulze wrote:
> The propriatery formats are pushed into the market by powerful
> monopolists. They establish a "secret language" and exclude everyone
> they want. That's creating a monopoly on information itself as they can
> decide who is allowed to read/write!

Yes, I understand this point (though you could argue that Sperry-Rand did not 
compel anyone to use gifs, and Fraunhofer had a format without a market until 
around 1998), but I'm just trying to get a handle on how best to put the 
argument where formats are concerned.

I have put the above argument to people, and it's just too vague.  The usual 
response I get is that people spent time and money to develop these formats, 
they're (currently) allowing users to use them for free, so what's the 
problem? 

Can someone summarise the pithy points here?  Ideally in terms that will make 
the man in the street think about his pocket.  

I tend to think the real nub is not the formats themselves, or who owns them, 
or what their motives are/may be, but the proposed prohibition on 
reverse-engineering something similar that produces the same result, leading 
to decreased competition, leading to less choice and higher prices.  For 
example, suppose someone had patented the idea of cars having 4 wheels, for 
instance - most of us would be going around in 3 or 6 wheelers (cars are a 
good analogue, because most people have one - see also 
http://www.kyfieithu.co.uk/item.php?lg=en&item_id=32).

This suggests that the page should be changed to make it clear that it is not 
the formats themselves, but the possibility of being forced to use them and 
only them that is the key objection.  However, I may be barking up the wrong 
tree here, so I would welcome comments.

-- 

Best wishes

Kevin Donnelly

www.kyfieithu.co.uk - Meddalwedd Rydd yn Gymraeg