Open source movement screws up again
Kieren McCarthy Nov 07 2003
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WIPO describes itself as “an international organisation dedicated to
promoting the use and protection of works of the human spirit”. It seems
only natural then that when the organisation’s head, Dr Kamil Idris,
received a letter in July signed by 59 highly respected and
Nobel-prize-winning economists, academics and IT experts asking for a
meeting to “examine new open collaborative development models, and to
discuss their relevance for public policy” that he would view it favourably.
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Despite Mr Gurry’s and apparently Dr Idris’ firm backing for such a
discussion, in just a few weeks, the organisation suddenly changed tack
and said that such a meeting was not going to go ahead.
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The open-source software devotees who had signed the original letter -
including the all-too-familiar names Ralph Nader, Bruce Perens, Eric S.
Raymond and Richard Stallman - immediately sensed the hand of Microsoft.

With intensive lobbying Microsoft managed to get the meeting pulled, it
is said. It even got acting director of international relations for the
US Patent and Trademark Office on side, Lois Boland. Boland had several
arguments over why such a meeting at WIPO was not appropriate ...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/33844.html