Trend Micro Draws Boycott Over AV Patent Case

Linux.com is reporting that in addition to the bad press, Trend Micro's patent case against Barracuda Networks' use of ClamAV has drawn an apparent boycott of Trend Micro. "Dutch free knowledge and culture advocacy group ScriptumLibre called for 'a worldwide boycott on Trend Micro products.' In its news release, ScriptumLibre summarizes the case, with its chairman, Wiebe van der Worp, describing Trend Micro's actions as 'well beyond the borders of decency.' The ScriptumLibre site includes link to free graphics that supporters can add to their Web pages to show their support and a call for IT professionals that provides a links to help people to educate themselves about the case and suggests a series of actions that people can take in the boycott." Linux.com and Slashdot are both owned by SourceForge Inc.

Alternatives

[Solitude]

I've been evaluating their client server product for SMB for a week now. I need about 75 licenses to replace our aging Symantec Corporate 7. I was a couple of days away from purchasing 75 licenses for one company and 10 for another, but then this. I vote with my dollars and if my research shows their claims are BS, they just lost 85 2-year licenses.

Re:Alternatives

[houstonbofh]

For the record, I do not think GriSoft has sued anyone this week. And AVG is quite good in the enterprise.

Re:Boycott all commercial antivirus programs?

[CannonballHead]

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't have "common sense." "Common sense" is quite uncommon among people who haven't grown up with computers. My mom, if it were not for me, would have no clue how to prevent viruses, adware, spyware, etc.

Of course, I remove Norton almost automatically when fixing computers, because it slows it down almost as much as a virus, in my experience.

Patents are anti-competitive

[gilesjuk]

Patents worked when it was about the small time inventor and they help start up companies. Once the industry giants and well established companies get hold of patents they use them in an anti-competitive manner.

Software patents are the easiest to code around but can be the hardest to judge when they go to court.

Re:Look no further than SCO

[InlawBiker]

As a former SCO Unix admin at work I was using their products the whole time. Although I did hate them for their draconian licensing scheme, they didn't go out of business due to admin lobbying. They went out of business because Linux came along and offered a competitive product at a better price (free).

It was all about the money. Isn't it always? We could buy cheap PC hardware and run SCO, and even though I hated it, it was much cheaper than buying an expensive Sun machine and a support license.

Even if I had LOVED SCO, their licensing restrictions weren't terrible, their customer service had been excellent (it wasn't) etc.... Linux still would've killed them. It will eventually kill Sun too, at least as we know them.

Re:Boycott all commercial antivirus programs?

[Anonymous Coward]

When AVG cease preventing me from installing on my non-commercial, not-making-me-any-money-whatsoever (and entirely legal!) copy of Win2K Server just because it has "Server" in the name, I'll cease telling them that they can suck a big, fat testicle. Arseholes.