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@center @titlefont{Computer Programmers and Users, Watch Out!}
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@bb{What is the problem?}@*
Apple, Lotus, Ashton-Tate, and Xerox are trying to use ``look and
feel'' lawsuits to lock competitors out of the market.

These competitors have implemented work-alike programs or programs more
or less similar in mode of use.  This sort of imitation is
customary---standard practice since the 1960's---but the lawyers pretend
that it is no different from copying a program.  They are trying to
stretch copyright law as it was never intended; to make new law through
the courts, evade public debate, and establish permanent monopolies.

@bb{Why should I care?}@*
If you're a programmer, because your freedom to write programs is in
danger.

If you're a user, because these lawsuits are making computers harder to
use.  To avoid the risk of a lawsuit, developers are going out of their
way to make new products look different from the ones you know.  These
gratuitous changes serve only to confuse users who move from one
wordprocessor or spreadsheet to another.

These incompatible changes make it hard to switch brands---they make
users ``captive''.  This eliminates real competition and the incentive
to improve the standard products.

@bb{Is that all?  The suits just threaten competition?}@*
No!  ``Look and feel'' also threatens innovation.

Computer systems have been getting easier to use because of incremental
changes---one programmer imitates the work of another, then makes some
improvements.  Programs have evolved as programmers learned from each
other.  ``Look and feel'' copyright would make this illegal.

And large companies have an unfair advantage wherever lawsuits become
commonplace.  Since they can easily afford to sue, they can intimidate
small companies with threats even when they don't really have a case.

@bb{But don't they deserve a monopoly on what they did?}@*
Like everyone else in the computer field, Apple, etc.@: ``borrowed''
from the work of others.  And until these lawsuits, everyone agreed this
was legal.

Apple, Lotus, and the others made their business plans and wrote their
programs under those rules.  Now they say the old rules don't offer
``enough incentive;'' but their success under those rules proves this is
false.  It also shows what their real motive is: @strong{they don't want
any future competitors to have the chance that they had.}
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@center @titlefont{Boycott Lotus, Apple, Xerox and Ashton-Tate!}
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@center @titlefont{Keep Their Lawyers Off Our Computers}
@page
@center @titlefont{What You Can Do}
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@itemize @bullet
@item
Don't buy from Xerox, Lotus, Apple or Ashton-Tate.  Buy from their
competitors or from the defendants they are suing.

@item
Don't develop software to work with the systems made by these companies.

@item
Port your existing software to competing systems, so that you encourage
users to switch.

@item
Join the League for Programming Freedom and help organize further
activities.  Phone (617) 492-0023 or write to us at:

@example
1 Kendall Square #143
P.O. Box 9171
Cambridge, MA 02139       league@@prep.ai.mit.edu
@end example

@item
Above all, don't work for the ``look and feel'' plaintiffs, and don't
accept contracts from them.

@item
Tell your friends and colleagues about this issue and how it threatens
to ruin the computer industry.

@item
Duplicate this handout, and distribute it at shows and meetings.

@item
Write to or phone your elected representatives to show them how
important this issue is.

@example
Senator So and So       Representative So and So
United States Senate    House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510    Washington, DC 20515
@end example

You can phone senators and representatives at (202) 225-3121.
@end itemize
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@tex
\centerline{\vtop{\hsize=6.8 in\parindent=0pt
Suppose ``look and feel'' copyright were applied to keyboards.
Imagine how difficult it would be to switch from computer to computer
if the letters on their keyboards were all in different places!}}
@end tex

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@comment Keyboard with scrambled letters here
@center @titlefont{The League for Programming Freedom}
@bye