[4594] in linux-announce channel archive
Linux-Announce Digest #886
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Digestifier)
Mon Sep 6 20:13:07 2004
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 20:13:03 EDT
Linux-Announce Digest #886, Volume #4 Mon, 6 Sep 2004 20:13:03 EDT
Contents:
FLOSS takes to "global grassroots marketing"... ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
[FSFE PR][EN] FSF Europe Newsletter (fwd) ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
[FSFE PR][EN] Europe should conserve a competitive advantageand ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:50:23 CST
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: FLOSS takes to "global grassroots marketing"...
FLOSS TAKES TO "GLOBAL GRASSROOTS MARKETING" TO GET MESSAGE ACROSS
>From Frederick Noronha
LIKE AN army of ants scattered across the globe, each group joining in hopes
their small actions could result in a wider impact, through coordinated
action and the power of networking people. Softwarefreedomday.org was organised
by volunteers in diverse points of the globe, for the first time, on August 28
this year.
"We're are in the process to form a team in Hanoi, Vietnam. We have our
first meeting tonight, so far we have 20 persons interested," commented
David Tremblay of Oxfam in the Vietnamese capital.
As the word went round, small teams sprung up globally in diverse locations.
In short, this coordinated-splash hopes to help make more in the world aware
about the virtues of Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS, or FOSS).
Volunteers plan to set up stations in public places, to give away
information fliers and CDs with select software -- including TheOpenCD and
an all-free version of widely-admired Knoppix.
Organisers call this part of a global grassroots marketing campaign "in
which we are inviting volunteers from around the world to participate".
Local teams can choose how to organise their "PR efforts".
Commented Henrik Nilsen Omma, an Oxford (UK)-based Norwegian completing a
PhD in theoretical astrophysics, and one of the team-leaders behind the
event: "We would be happy if we could simply establish the tradition this
year, with a few good events around the globe. And that does seem to be
happening, with several solid teams popping up on different continents."
He is better known as the founder of The Open CD project -- a compilation
of tools that packs useful Free software (free-as-in-freedom, not merely
zero-price) that works on the Windows platform.
Behind TheOpenCD project is the view that the 'first step' of changing their
OS is simply too great for most people. Otherwise, how else does one
explain the reluctance to change over to a technically superior operating
system, which also happens to be free (of charge)?
"Why should they throw out something which meets most of their needs and
came pre-installed with their computer for 'free' only to risk that after
the switch things such as printing, email, whatever, don't work," contends
Omma Nilsen. "There seemed to be a clear need for a tool that FLOSS
enthusiasts could use to help others make the transition. That's how
TheOpenCD project got started, and the rest just followed on from that."
Says Nilsen Omma, in an interview with this writer: "Matt (Oquist) came up
with the idea of selecting a specific day to set up a stand in a public
place to inform people about FOSS. He then approached us at TheOpenCD
project about using our disc as material. We debated the event at some
length in the forum at TheOpenCD and decided to try to make it a global
event. That's also where the name was born."
New Jersey-based Matt Oquist describes himself as a "software engineer by
day who has never contributed significantly to an Open Source or Free
Software project, even though I've been running Linux and OpenBSD
exclusively on my own machines for years".
Come August-end, and they hope to make their dream come true.
They've had smooth sailing so far. "We've had positive correspondence with
both RMS (Richard M Stallman) and ESR (Eric S Raymond) of the FSF and OSI
respectively. KDE is throwing a big party on softwarefreedomday in
conjunction with their world conference in August and we will be a central
feature at a FLOSS conference in Johannesburg," says Nilsen Omma.
There are already some 20 teams already signed up, such as a group in New
York (see www.nylxs.com) that is planning multiple SFD events. KDE has
added a SFD celebration to their 2004 KDE Community World Summit (see
http://events.kde.org/info/conference2004/freedomfest.php).
Omma Nilsen -- whose work mainly involves numerical simulations on large
parallel machines, like the local Beowulf cluster visible at
clusterheating.org -- says the style of SFD has been to "just bounce ideas
around and pitch in where needed, and that seems to work pretty well".
Doesn't he then agree with the view, of some FLOSS enthusiasts and techies,
that the alternative software world doesn't need promotion anymore?
He argues back: "I think that is either naive or arrogant. Some people have
all the FLOSS they'll ever need right now, and see no reason to appeal to
the public at large. Emacs and the Linux kernel will always be free, and for
some people that does everything they need. However, this group represents
only a tiny fraction of the population; what about those who use proprietary
software exclusively today, not from choice but by default?"
In this young astro-physicist's view, computer users are threatened with
getting more and more locked in to a closed information system where they
are gradually loosing control over their own data and being locked into
expensive upgrade cycles.
"This is not just a cause for programers to retain the freedom to share
code, but also to give people back control over their data and computers.
(Free Software Foundation lawyer and campaigner) Eben Moglen often says that
it's all about free speech, and in an increasingly electronic world, that
often means electronic speech, which must be protected," says Omma Nilsen.
Organisers of this event see it as a symbiotic need.
Explains Omma Nilsen: "But just as much as the public need our help to
protect these freedoms, we also need their help to maintain a society and a
legal framework in which FLOSS can thrive."
Free Software and Open Source enthusiasts increasing fear that while rival
proprietary software makers are loosing ground on technical merits, they are
increasingly using legal and other means to stop the spread of FLOSS, and
preserve their proprietary business model.
Software patents is a major risk. Some governments have been mandating the
use of proprietorial software, after being lobbied.
"Proprietary producers will keep moving the targets, will invent
hardware-based lock-ins, push patent laws, use propaganda, and
still-not-invented methods to stop FLOSS. The only way to guarantee the
survival and prosperity of FLOSS is for the voting public to learn to
cherish the principles of freedom associated with it, and insist on it in
the same way they insist on free speech," argues Omma Nilsen.
This calls for a whole lot of educating. That's where the
softwarefreedomday.org comes in.
Adopting a 'gradualist' approach, the idea is to get people to slowly use
some select FLOSS programmes, and at the same time introducing ideas of
freedom in parallel.
In their own time, the average user would hopefully absorb it.
Oquist argues: "We want the barrier of entry to be as small as possible, so
we are handing out software that will run on more than 90% of the desktops
out there, on a CD with a wonderfully intuitive interface that explains and
installs FLOSS packages with minimal button-clicking. Accompanying
literature will make the SFD packs even more clear and usable."
Explains Oquist of his own experience: "I converted while I was a computer
science student. FLOSS was superior in so many ways that mattered to me
(stability, remote accessibility, configurability, openness, freedom), and
it was free. There have been no significant drawbacks for me, and I've got
my family and my in-laws now running Linux to dial up to the Internet.
Other people get viruses, but my families don't."
But the road ahead is long. Most FLOSS campaigners themselves haven't even
heard of the idea. "But we have to start somewhere. I suspect there will be
a surge of interest in the week before the event and just after (which will
help for next year)," adds Omma Nilsen.
The idea is to hand out free CDs. Wouldn't these simply get wasted?
"Sure. But the risk that you might fail is never a good reason not to try
something. As far as the material costs; CDs are really cheap now.
Certainly cheaper than a nice colour booklet. In marketing you only ever
reach one to two percent if you are lucky, so we should not be to depressed
about a few discarded CDs," argues Omma Nilsen.
Oquist has been thinking along parallel lines, and, infact, originated the
idea.
Says he: "I had the desire to raise public awareness about Open Source and
Free Software, because so many people who could be using it are instead
paying large amounts of money for software that is marginally superior, or
else pirating proprietary software. I knew I had a solution for them that
was better than either of those alternatives, and I just needed a way to
publicize it."
This is more true in schools and other non-profit organizations. Yet, look
around and you'll see schools with lab computers lacking word processing
software because the school cannot afford a Microsoft Word license for every
machine. Says Oquist: "This is a symptom of the awareness problem that I
want to help fix."
Says he: "If we can get just 10 SFD teams to hand out 5000 SFD packs, I hope
that 1000 of those packs will be effective in converting people to use
projects like OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, and the GIMP. And once people have
made that switch, maybe they'll be a little more willing to stick in the SFD
Linux LiveCD (be it a modified KNOPPIX, Mepis, or otherwise) and see what
Linux is about.
Oquist said in an interview with this writer: "And after we establish
ourselves this August 28, even as a ragged band of driven people, then we'll
have one SFD under our belts, and we'll be ready to organize in greater
numbers and to greater effectiveness in successive years."
After a many-year wait for the year of 'Linux on the desktop', its
enthusiasts are not losing hope. Argues Oquist: "I don't know when that will
be, but I think the world is at a tipping point in the adoption of Open
Source and Free Software. SFD will be yet another soldier helping to raise
the flag."
"We're hitting the whole world simultaneously and with coordination. We're
banking on the idea that the whole of SFD will become greater than the sum
of its parts," says Oquist.
LINK http://www.softwarefreedomday.org
ENDS
--
========================================================================
Frederick Noronha (FN) Near Convent, SALIGAO 403511 GOA India
Freelance Journalist Tel: +91-832-2409490 MOBILE: 9822122436
fred at bytesforall.org fredericknoronha at vsnl.net
http://fn.swiki.net (FN's swiki)
http://www.ilug-goa.tk (GNULinux Users Group Goa)
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:51:41 CST
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: [FSFE PR][EN] FSF Europe Newsletter (fwd)
========== Forwarded message ==========
1. Announcing Wilhelm Tux as a new associate organisation
2. Software patents discussion
3. Donating to the FSFE in the United Kingdom
4. Speech at the KDE Community World Summit
1. Announcing Wilhelm Tux as a new associate organisation
Wilhelm Tux, a Swiss organisation for Free Software, has become an
associate organisation of the FSFE. The FSFE now has 9 associate
organisations in 8 different countries. Wilhelm Tux is the first
European associate organisation that resides in a country not being an
EU member state.
2. Software patents discussion
The FSFE has always pointed out that software patents are a big threat
for companies and individuals developing or using software, no matter
whether if it is free or proprietary. Recent software patent discussions
relating to the ongoing migration to Free Software in Munich seemed to
create the wrong impression for some people, namely that the software
patent problem only exists for Free Software, and the FSFE is happy that
it could help to clarify this point.
The FSFE also congratulates Mr. Ude, the mayor of Munich, who is showing
himself to be highly reasonable and competent: He continues the
migration without delays while both evaluating the risks potentially
created and speaking out against introduction of software patents in
Europe.
3. Donating to the FSFE in the United Kingdom
Due to substantial bank fees charged for international money transfers,
small donations or standing orders are too expensive to be send directly
to the Free Software Foundation Europe bank account. To rectify this,
FSFE in July 2004 entered into an agreement with UK based associate
organisation AFFS to collect donations and transfer them in larger
batches.
http://www.fsfeurope.org/help/donate-2004-uk.en.html
4. Speech at the KDE Community World Summit
Bernhard Reiter gave a speech at the KDE User and Administrator
Conference, which was part of the KDE Community World Summit in
Ludwigsburg, Germany. He spoke about social and political aspects of
Free Software.
You can find a list of all FSF Europe newsletters on
http://www.fsfeurope.org/news/newsletter.en.html
_______________________________________________
Press-release mailing list
Press-release@fsfeurope.org
https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/press-release
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:51:45 CST
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: [FSFE PR][EN] Europe should conserve a competitive advantageand
This message is in MIME format. The first part should be readable text,
while the remaining parts are likely unreadable without MIME-aware tools.
--Boundary_(ID_ZCHppagQO83+iU8XL6R5TA)
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-transfer-encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE
========== Forwarded message ==========
Dear Prime Minister,
Dear Dr. Balkenende,
The new Commission of the European Union would like to speed up the
"Lisbon"-Process to make Europe the "most competitive knowledge-based
economy by 2010". This is a reasonable aim which is worthy of support by
European citizens. However, the EU is considering legislation which will
have adverse effects on the software market. We - the Free Software
Foundation Europe (FSFE) - would like to call your attention to this
important issue. With your help it may be possible to avoid this problem
before it gets off the ground in the EU.
Software patents are used to hinder competitors software innovation.
This is the sole reason that a virtual waste paper basket is patented,
the incorporation of applications into a website is patented, and or the
ordering of gifts via the internet is patented. These ideas are not very
innovative, but they are necessary to make the whole application run and
be usable by anybody. It is just the same as with a car: To get access
to the real innovations you need to use trivial features such as a
steering wheel.
In the last few weeks we have seen what happens to project management
in business and public administration because of a demanding project,
such as in Munich. A member of the city council feared that the project
might infringe a patent - and the project got into trouble for a whole
week, although software giants IBM are interested in managing this
project because of its international prestige. This was paralleled
worldwide, as similar projects are supposedly threatened as well.
>From now on any introduction of SAP will be in danger. The same way it
might get impossible to implement additional security features to
eliminate a bug in a web server - because there might at any time be
someone who speculates whether the ideas behind the implementation are
"protected" by software patents. For these reasons voices in the US
would like to get rid of the innovation blockade which are "software
patents".
30,000 software patents already exist in the EU; this contradicts the
spirit of the present patent law in the EU. Three quarters of software
patents are held by non-European companies. To give software patents a
legal basis may be a decision which would make the EU far less
competitive. That is why we would like to ask the European Council to
revise its agreement on software patents of May 18th. Instead the
Council should decide to make sure innovation can take place and not be
restricted by software patents in the future.
During the dutch Presidency of the European Union you have the best
opportunity to initiate this revision. In the interest of Europe you
should not hesitate to make this revision.
Yours sincerely
Georg Greve
President
Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE)
About the Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a charitable
non-governmental organization dedicated to all aspects of Free
Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate
in a digital society. Therefore the Freedoms to use, copy, modify and
redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition -
allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness
for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and
giving people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are
central issues of the FSFE, which was founded in 2001 as the
European sister organization of the Free Software Foundation in the
United States.
Further information: http://www.fsfeurope.org
--
Joachim Jakobs <jj@office.fsfeurope.org>
Press Speaker - FSF Europe (http://fsfeurope.org)
In der Roede 24, 64367 M=C3=BChltal (Tel: +49-179-6919565)
_______________________________________________
Press-release mailing list
Press-release@fsfeurope.org
https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/press-release=
--Boundary_(ID_ZCHppagQO83+iU8XL6R5TA)--
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