Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!apple!rutgers!njin!princeton!phoenix!pswisnov From: pswisnov@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Peter S. Wisnovsky) Newsgroups: gnu.emacs Subject: Re: ./etc/APPLE. No Free Software for Mac users. Message-ID: <3754@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> Date: 25 Sep 88 17:11:30 GMT References: <10152@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> <8809231927.AA00737@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> Reply-To: pswisnov@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Peter S. Wisnovsky) Distribution: gnu Organization: Princeton University, NJ Lines: 20 In article <8809231927.AA00737@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> rms@WHEATIES.AI.MIT.EDU (Richard Stallman) writes: >Regardless of what the court says, a boycott can make a difference. >Given any particular chance of winning, a company will be less likely >to sue if they know this would create ill will among the public. I see your point, but wonder who this boycott will hurt more, the company or the users. Apple is a corperate entity whose function is to make a profit: it is not clear to me that a boycott will convince enough people to buy other computers to make Apple feel that a change in policy is necessary. As a user of Gnu software and Apple computers, however, I, and I imagine many others, would naturally be dissappointed if Gnu software were not available on Apple computers. It seems to me that this sort of boycott is similar to the issue of divestment from South Africa, in that it is not clear whether the boycott is a weapon with a sufficiently narrow focus. I support divestment, but I recognize that we will undoubtedly hurt those we are trying to help. -- + Peter Wisnovsky pswisnov@phoenix.princeton.edu BitNet: pswisnov@pucc +