July 6th, 2007
FCC fights the open source concept
With today’s release of new rules for Software Defined Radios, it should be clear that the FCC under chairman Kevin Martin (right) is dedicated to proprietary models, and a determined foe of open source.
The final FCC language shows disdain for the open source concept, fearing that anything which can be seen can be hacked, while code which is secreted can be secured.
The SDR Forum and the Software Freedom Law Center are being polite about it, but every decision engineered by Martin has favored narrow, proprietary interests over open source and the public interest.
It’s time someone said so.
The Bush Administration preference for monopoly and central control goes across the policy board, of course. But the elites who take part in tech policy decisions seem to think it impolite to charge an ideological agenda, preferring to analyze minutiae.
This despite the fact chairman Martin’s wife Cathie was a long-time member of Vice President Cheney’s staff, and a key witness in the Scooter Libby trial.
So I guess I have to say it. For open source to get a fair hearing in Washington, we need a new government. OK?
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 07/09/07
