From: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk> To: alschair@usenix.org Subject: Resignation from ALS, Skylarov affair... Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 12:31:02 +0100 (BST) Cc: editor@lwn.net, editors@newsforge.com, gnu@eff.org I hereby tender my resignation to the Usenix ALS committee. With the arrest of Dimitry Sklyarov it has become apparent that it is not safe for non US software engineers to visit the United States. While he was undoubtedly chosen for political reasons as a Russian is a good example for the US public the risk extends arbitarily further. Usenix by its choice of a US location is encouraging other programmers, many from eastern european states hated by the US government to take the same risks. That is something I cannot morally be part of. Who will be the next conference speaker slammed into a US jail for years for committing no crime? Are usenix prepared to take the chance it will be their speakers ? Until the DMCA mess is resolved I would urge all non US citizens to boycott conferences in the USA and all US conference bodies to hold their conferences elsehere. I appreciate that this problem is not of Usenix making, but it must be addressed Alan Cox
From: "Jon 'maddog' Hall, Executive Director, Linux International" <maddog@li.org> To: alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk Subject: Your very public message Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 14:43:12 -0400 Cc: "Bryan C. Andregg" <bandregg@redhat.com>, maddog@linux.local, ellie@usenix.org, editor@lwn.net, editors@newsforge.com, gnu@eff.org Alan, Your decision to boycott the ALS event is certainly yours to make, and I deeply regret the situation that caused you to make it. However, to chose ALS as the focus of your first message on this I feel is a little unfair, particularly with the recent steps that USENIX has taken to working with the EFF to defend the rights of University professors to publish their research works around DCMA. These professors were threatened with suit by various large companies, and through the efforts of EFF and USENIX, these companies are now backing down from their suits. Your wording around USENIX "choosing a US location" ignores the fact that ALS has always been in the US, the same way that Linux TAG has always been in Germany, and the Linux Kongress has (almost) always been in Germany, with occasional visits to the Netherlands. USENIX has co-sponsored in the past and continues to co-sponsor non-US events. Also I do object to your statements that the US Government "hates" eastern european states. I seem to remember much pressure from the US to lower the Berlin wall, and to allow more freedoms for eastern european people. I believe this to be a case where someone broke a US law from afar over this global thing called the "Internet" and then tried to take advantage of a US-based conference. If this is the case, then it may be a mis-directed legal system, but I doubt that it was fueled by "hate." Your inference that "hate" fueled this incident is distasteful. As I said, your right to leave the ALS program committee, or even to urge others to boycott US events is yours to make, and I support your right to make it. Your points about other developers (foreign or otherwise) who have violated US laws in their coding is probably more than valid. I do, however, ask that you direct your venom to those who deserve it. Warmest regards and greatest respect, maddog -- ============================================================================= Jon "maddog" Hall Executive Director Linux(R) International email: maddog@li.org 80 Amherst St. Voice: +1.603.672.4557 Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A. WWW: http://www.li.org Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association (R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. -- ============================================================================= Jon "maddog" Hall Executive Director Linux(R) International email: maddog@li.org 80 Amherst St. Voice: +1.603.672.4557 Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A. WWW: http://www.li.org Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association (R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries.