[twuug] Microsoft defending us from "excesses of freedom"

[Jerry Kincade]

  I am about 80% through reading "Free Culture" by Lawrence Lessig, so 
when I saw a link on Groklaw[1] that mentioned Lessig I had to follow 
it[2] and see what's up. Seems Microsoft does not like Sergio Amadeu, a 
Brazillian government official, criticizing them. So they are filing a 
criminal defamation action against him to put a stop to what they see as 
)B“excess in freedom of speech and freedom of thought.”[3] Sure glad I 
have Big Bill to protect me from horrible things like that!
What did Amadeu say in his criminal excess of freedom? He accused 
Microsoft[4] of being "...the company of a )B‘drug-dealer practice’" for 
giving away free software components to establish lock-in to their 
products. Amadeu also accused Microsoft of engagin in FUD. Gee, who 
would ever believe Microsoft was capable of such behavior?
I'm sorry, this just pegs the sarcasm-meter. According to Microsoft in 
their complaint[4], "The offensive expressions launched by the Defendant 
at the interview violate the rule of Article 12 of the Press Law, which 
leads to the application of the aforementioned especial
statute whenever there is an excess in freedom of speech and freedom of 
thought, by means of the dissemination of information." If this is an 
accurate portrayal of Brazillian law, it must truly suck to be a 
Brazillian with a thought in your head.

-- Jerry --

Reference links:
[1] Groklaw post (long, awkward link): 
http://www.groklaw.net/comment.php?mode=display&sid=20040618230412192&title=New%20MS%20legal%20attacks%20in%20Brazil&type=article&order=&hideanonymous=0&pid=0#c156338

[2] Lawrence Lessig post: http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/001983.shtml

[3] Microsoft Brazillian Complaint (see section IV, item 10): 
http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/msft_complaint.pdf

[4] Quotes of Amadeu: http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/penguin.pdf