Subject: Fight "Look and Feel" Lawsuits--March on Lotus, August 2 [Please repost as widely as possible.] Sad to say, the bad guys seem to be winning---the courts are on their side. On June 28, Lotus won the lawsuit against Paperback Software, which had developed a spreadsheet with the same commands and menus as 1-2-3. Now they have sued SCO and Borland, claiming that their spreadsheets (including Quattro Pro) are illegal copies. This decision makes it more likely that Apple or Xerox will win their suits, and establish a monopoly on window systems. And who knows who will be the next to be sued by someone else. But the last battle is the battle for public opinion, and we can still win that. Therefore, on August 2, we will march on Lotus headquarters to protest their new lawsuits. This is a demonstration against look-and-feel copyright, sponsored by the League for Programming Freedom. We will rally at Tech Square at 12:30 pm (in the tree-filled central area), then march at 1 pm to the Lotus building next to the river at 55 Cambridge Parkway. Professor Patrick Winston, director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Richard Stallman, president of the League for Programming Freedom, will speak once we arrive there. If you are late, come directly to Lotus. Don't be too late, since we will finish at 2 pm. We will be handing out the new League stickers, showing Liberty holding the disk and tape, with the slogan, "Stop Software Monopolies." (If you are a League member, we will mail you some in the next mailing.) Take them and post them where programmers will see them! If you can come get some and post them before the demonstration, so much the better. Please post copies of this announcement where you work, on bulletin boards and anywhere else appropriate. Also speak to your coworkers and friends about the demonstration; some of them may not read net news or bulletin boards. Then remind them again a few days before. Since not everyone will make a sign, it is very helpful if you do so. Here are some suggestions for slogans: SAY NO TO MONOPOLY KEEP YOUR LAWYERS OFF MY COMPUTER BOYCOTT LOTUS PROGRAMMERS ARE ANGRY USERS WANT COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE Use your imagination; the more variety, the better. Once we get to the Lotus building, please remember not to litter, not to block pedestrians and to stay out of the street. We want to behave as responsible citizens of a democratic society and be seen as such. It's a sure thing there will be lots of reporters covering this demonstration. (We'll make sure of it.) Our previous demonstration led to coverage in all the major computer newspapers, and many major dailies. This one promises to be even bigger and have a greater impact. If you have to be somewhere else at 2 pm, then come at least from 1 to 1:30. If you work in the suburbs, you can travel back and forth and attend the most important part of the demonstration in about two hours. That's a long lunch, but you can get away with it. Mark the date and don't let anything stop you from coming. We can win--but we must all pitch in.