linux.conf.au: Enter the no-suit zone

Sam Varghese
Monday, 28 January 2008 06:06

Opinion and Analysis

What amazes me is the huge number of volunteers who are around, ready, willing and able to help. And nothing better typifies the spirit of this volunteer force than the West Australian Leon Brooks.

Brooks was involved in a terrible accident just under two years ago. There were grave fears for his life and he spent considerable time in the ICU.

But his indomitable spirit appears to have pulled him through and, though there are signs, both internal (titanium in his skull) and external that will remind him of the event, he has a broad smile on his face and his outgoing nature hasn't changed one bit.

He's out here as a volunteer - a long distance to travel for what could be considered a menial task but he's happy to combine it with some work and spend as much time as he can helping out.

I always remember Brooks for the courage he showed in filing a complaint with the Australian regulator, the ACCC, against the SCO Group, back in 2004. SCO, it may be recalled, had taken up arms against Linux in a case that has now been more or less grounded.

Brooks' company, Cyberknights, is one-man operation, but he had no hesitation in complaining to the ACCC that his business was being damaged by unproven claims made by SCO.

This, at a time when many other bigger organisations, including Linux Australia, were reluctant to adopt a confrontational attitude.

And unlike many other FOSS people who are wary of journalists for no good reason, Brooks wasn't diffident and made the whole complaint available to the media - those who were willing to give him a hearing.