Microsoft reportedly is willing to stop the action if either a
licensing agreement can be worked out or if Guido Van Rossum, the
inventer, changes the name of the computer language and personally
destroys all references to Spam, the Spanish Inquisition, and so
forth, in all copies of the Python code and documentation whereever
they may have propagated.
A highly placed White House Official claims that President Clinton
takes the matter very seriously and is willing to break off all
diplomatic relations with the government of Japan over the issue.
"We're beginning to wonder if this information super-highway thing
is such a good idea after all," she said. The ambassador of Japan
in Washington is reportedly "very, very confused."
A highly placed Speaker of the House, who asked not to be named,
is reported to have said, "I thought Guido was an Italian name.
Those damn Japanese are sure crafty!"
In an unrelated development, Stacker Inc. is reportedly considering
bringing action against Van Rossum, Brian Kernigan, and Don Knuth
over their alleged infringement on Stacker's "for loop" patent.