In the June issue of Nature magazine, an official of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), was quoted saying that the Switzerland-based group of about 180 nations, which promotes intellectual-property rights and standards around the globe, was intrigued by the growth of the open-source movement and welcomed the idea of a meeting devoted to open-source's place in the intellectual-property landscape.

Someone at Microsoft got wind of this, and the idea was quickly buried. You can read the full story here. (NB: the Washington post makes you go through this minor song and dance so that you can read the articles. Don't be intimidated)

There are two reactions I have to this story.

1. Microsoft finds FOSS very scary. This is a good sign.
2. The current administration is as well. While this is not surprising (think Ashcroft and the PATRIOT act), I find this very scary.