Disability rights group frustrates Massachusetts' open source ambitions

Massachusetts' open source ambitions have been hit by a disability rights group that argues that some disabled office workers are reliant on technologies not supported by open source applications. The Disability Policy Consortium has persuaded the CIO of Massachusetts' IT division, Louis Gutierrez, to postpone the implementation of plans to use the Open Document Format (ODF) for all office files from the beginning of 2007. The consortium is concerned that 'users who have visual, mobility, cognitive, or speech disabilities' will be disadvantaged by the lack of support for screen readers or speech recognition software in open source applications such as OpenOffice and Sun Microsystems' StarOffice that use ODF. ...more

Microsoft and the EU square up for new battle over source code

Microsoft and the European Union look to be squaring up for another battle in what is becoming a trial of strength. On the one hand, the EU is trying to get what it sees as a monopolist trying to evade the penalties imposed on it. On the other hand, Microsoft is waging a PR battle to show that it is a good corporate citizen. ...more

Music industry backs down in face of malicious prosecution lawsuit

The RIAA has withdrawn a lawsuit against two alleged file sharers after being accused of malicious prosecution by their attorney. Barry and Cathy Merchant's lawyer, California attorney Merl Ledford III, accused the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) of causing emotional distress to the couple, and of violating legal rules. 'The lawsuit filed by your office and your letter arrive at a particularly inappropriate time in Barry and Cathy Merchant's life. ...more

Apple taken to task over green record

Apple's record on taking back and recycling old machines has been criticised by a shareholder who will ask other shareholders at next month's AGM to force the company to take 'additional measures to develop a leadership position on collection and safe disposition of old computers'. The proposal by As You Sow of San Francisco, California notes that Dell and HP have announced 'public computer take back goals' but 'Apple has not'. It also raises concerns about the number of discarded computers that are being sent overseas for disposal. ...more

Comment: Contracts and con tricks

The idea of buying a car, a licence, and then paying ongoing maintenance fees might work in the world of the automobile, but many businesses are growing increasingly frustrated at having to pay a king's ransom just to keep their software on the road. Are the world's software vendors becoming too greedy? For most business software, and almost all enterprise-level applications, companies expect to pay 15 to 20 per cent of the original price in annual maintenance costs. These payments cover updates as the vendor improves the package and some level of technical support. ...more