FC: Microsoft warns "Freedom to Innovate" imperiled, asks for help

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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From: "Microsoft"
To: <declan () wired com>
Subject: FINFLASH FROM THE FREEDOM TO INNOVATE NETWORK
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 14:40:19 -0700
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X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000

A FINFLASH FROM THE FREEDOM TO INNOVATE NETWORK
June 29, 2001

Dear Freedom to Innovate Network Member:

When Microsoft established the Freedom to Innovate Network (FIN), a 
non-partisan grassroots coalition, you joined us to help advocate sound 
public policy that will further technological advancement and economic 
growth in this country.  Hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens have 
visited the FIN website to stay informed, and have contacted public 
officials to defend the technology industry's freedom to innovate at 
http://www.freetoinnovate.com.  We hope you will once again help educate 
public officials about the many contributions of the technology 
sector:  providing new products at better prices, improving worker 
productivity and creating millions of high-paying jobs.

However, the threat to the freedom to innovate and the growth of the 
high-tech industry have never been more serious.  Although the U.S. Court 
of Appeals recently issued its ruling on the Microsoft case, the danger of 
more regulation and litigation still exists.  As reported in recent 
articles, a few rival companies are lobbying state attorneys general and 
legislators to encourage more legal and regulatory action against 
Microsoft.  These special interests are hoping once again to stop 
Microsoft's ability to deliver new and innovative products to consumers and 
businesses.  These cynical efforts by a few are intended only to protect 
and advantage large competitors at the expense of consumers and future 
product innovations.

Such threats of continued litigation and regulation jeopardize the freedom 
to innovate that has made the technology industry American's leading growth 
sector-and your voice has never been more important that it is right 
now!  It's important that your elected officials hear what you think about 
this issue and other public policy debates.  The Freedom to Innovate 
Network, and website at www.microsoft.com/freedomtoinnovate, give you the 
ability to stay informed about issues ranging from competition and 
intellectual property rights to privacy and taxation of the Internet-as 
well as the opportunity to contact your public officials to express your views.

If you would like to take action to protect the freedom to innovate today, 
you can use the Freedom to Innovate website at 
http://www.freetoinnovate.com to compose a letter, fax, or email to your 
elected officials.

Thank you again for your commitment to protect the Freedom to 
Innovate.  Your time and effort will help to shape the future of high tech.

Sincerely,
Kim Sanchez
Executive Director

P.S.  Please help us preserve the freedom to innovate by contacting your 
public officials TODAY!




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