[LINK] You have got to be kidding...

[nospam at crm911.com]

> What brainwave caused this ridiculous decision to take effect?
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/13/sqlers_barred_from_oz/

>From the article:
"Apparently, the Australian government is worried they'll unfairly compete
with local businesses."

I doubt that the border agent said anything to that effect to the Sun
employees.

>From his blog (worth reading the update/clarification):
http://blogs.mysql.com/kaj/2009/01/12/on-open-source-and-open-competition-in-a-not-so-open-world/

I don't get the impression that "several" Sun employees have been denied
entry.

I like Comment #30, which supports my view that we don't know the full story.

Kaj's response in Comment #31 includes:
"I am just surprised by Australia being in the category of countries who
deny entry for reasons I don’t understand or personally approve of."

and

"Fifth, I have no reason whatsoever to believe that there is any
Australian anti-open-source conspiracy. Since the trip was related to an
open source conference, competition is hardly a real concern, and thus the
denial could be the result of an overzealous bureaucrat in the aftermath
of #29. But that assessment is firmly in the realm of speculation and has
no claim on objectivity."

There is really no story here.