(If you are reading FSFE's newsletters [1] (and you should when you
have not yet given me feedback what I could improve ;) ), and you
already use one of our banners [2], you can skip this post because I
copied and pasted it. Else please continue.)
Let us admit it, the Free Software community is often very critical.
Wewrite bug reports, tell others how they can improve the software, ask
them fornew features, and to not spare with criticism. Sometimes we
forget to say "thank you, for all your work". As in the last years, we
want to change this, at least for one day. So on Tuesday the 14th of
February we will celebrate the "I love Free Software" - Day [3].
Get active, buy your favourite developer a drink or give them a hug (ask
forpermission first), write an e-mail/letter [4] expressing your
feelings, create nice pictures, donate to a Free Software initiative,
use another of our suggestions [5] or be create yourself to show how you
appreciate people, working hard to enlarge or defend our freedom.
Beside that help us to promote the activity with our banners [6], by
e-mail, (micro)blog or in your (distributed?) social networks.
New this year is a whole day event in the Unperfekthaus in Essen
(Germany) [7] and that all our Fellows automatically get an
login(a)ilovefs.org e-mail alias.
So let's make sure that on February 14th there are more love reports,
than bug reports!
All the best,
Matthias
1. http://fsfe.org/news/newsletter.html
2. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/banners.html
3. http://ilovefs.org
4. http://blogs.fsfe.org/thomaslocke/2012/01/18/why-i-love-free-and-open-sourc…
5. http://ilovefs.org
6. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/banners.html
7. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/unperfekthaus.html
--
Matthias Kirschner - FSFE - Fellowship Coordinator, German Coordinator
FSFE, Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290 +49-1577-1780003
Free Software is important to you? Join today! (fsfe.org/join)
Weblog (blogs.fsfe.org/mk) - Contact (fsfe.org/about/kirschner)
I'd like to have some feedback from you. Do you agree with those points?
1) on most computers Javascript is enabled by default
2) This gives anyone a platform to play with parts of their owners
equipment.
3) From a security point you are lost as soon as you give an adversary
the opportunity to control your system.
4) Only non-active web content can guarantee that you keep control over
your equipment.
And the last question: if all above is true, do we want to tell this to
the public? Does it help? Or would we be seen as being completely
paranoid.
Thanks,
Matthias
--
Matthias Kirschner - FSFE - Fellowship Coordinator, German Coordinator
FSFE, Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290 +49-1577-1780003
Weblog (blogs.fsfe.org/mk) - Contact (fsfe.org/about/kirschner)
Support FSFE! http://fsfe.org/support/?mk
Hi everyone,
on July 9 at the Libre Software Meeting / RMLL in Brussels, we're
organising a big panel discussion on "Technology, Power and
Freedom":
http://fsfe.org/events/2013/rmll-2013.html
After the news about wide-ranging communications surveillance
we've heard in recent weeks, this topic is arguably even more
pressing than it was before. But we want to look at the long term:
What do we need to change in politics and technology today to
build a better world tomorrow?
For this discussion we're bringing some of the Free Software
movement's leading minds together with the people who represent us
in the European Parliament. We're extremely happy to have a list
of first-rate participants:
Eben Moglen (Columbia University / Software Freedom Law Center)
Richard M Stallman (FSF)
Judith Sargentini (MEP Greens/EFA)
Marc Tarabella (MEP S&D - tbc)
Nils Torvalds (MEP ALDE)
Ioannis A. Tsoukalas (MEP EPP)
I'd like your input: What should we ask these people? What are
your most urgent questions on technology and politics?
Please post your questions here, and we'll gather them and get
them to Brussels.
Thanks & best,
Karsten
--
Karsten Gerloff [ ] <gerloff(a)fsfeurope.org>
Free Software Foundation Europe [ ][ ][ ] [http://fsfe.org]
President | | +49 176 9690 4298
Support software freedom! [http://fsfe.org/support]
Free Software Foundation Europe e.V. is a German Verein registered
at the Registergericht Hamburg (VR 17030).
HI,
today I thought about booth decoration (we have a pavilion, 3x3m) and had the
idea of a banderole around the roof. Per side the banderole would be ca.
3m*30cm. On the sides there would be written
"Free Software - Free Society"
and on the front (and possibly back) there would be written
"Free Software Foundation Europe"
So the claim is visible when one approaches from the sides and the
organization can be identified when standing in front of it.
Since I am neither designer nor very gifted when it comes to visual
imagination I want your opinion if this idea could work.
Best,
Christian
--
Christian Kalkhoff - Softwarebefreier - software liberator
Fellow of FSFE - Support FSFE! http://fsfe.org/support/?softmetz
CAcert assurer
http://softmetz.de/
Last Thursday, we had our second FSFE Fellowship Meeting in Aarhus this
year.
If you're interested, I wrote about it here:
https://blogs.fsfe.org/agger/
All in all, we're satisfied with the way things are going, but our
meetings is still a very new thing. Let's hope we can continue to
attract people.
br
Carsten
Hi,
Yesterday I read this press release:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/05/20/country.seeks.bids.on.106.mil…
<<The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been touring
Silicon Valley companies this week, on the heels of a similar tour by
Turkish President Abdullah Gül last month. Both men received VIP tours
of facilities at Microsoft and Google, and met privately with officials
from Apple. All three companies are hoping to land a contract to supply
the country with at least 10.6 million tablets for the country's
students>>.
Do you think it could be a good idea to send a message to Mr. Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan and to Mr. Abdullah Gül regarding the advantages of the
use of devices with free software in an educational environment?
If yes, how do you think it could be done?
Could it be done from the FSFE?
Best regards
Vicen
I am looking for examples from people who did not get a password from
their ISP for the internet access, or for the VoiP account. Background:
at the moment in Germany at least some providers start to bundle routers
with the internet contract. They do not hand out the username and
password to set up your own router any more. Their argumentation is to
save support costs.
So first the question: Have you or someone you know experienced this
problem? If so, which provider and which contract option?
Second, I brainstormed with some people about the arguments, here the
current alpha state. I am looking forward to your comments and
improvements:
1. ISPs start to bundle their contracts with a router. We will argue
that this is bad for competition, pushes out other companies producing
routers, and will also lead to more expensive routers.
2. ISPs do not give out the usernames and passwords necessary for the
internet connection and VoIP. We will argue that every computer with
network hardware could fulfill the task of a router. If ISPs are allowed
to keep this data secret, they can hinder new products where the
funtionality of the router is included. They also have access to the
privat network of the customers, they are responsible to what is
happening there, but on the other hand they have no control over the
router.
- it will be hard for people to buy router hardware from companies they
trust.
- political parties are asking for privacy by default, which this is
absolutely not
- customers should have the possibility to buy devices, which include
several functions (music/media player, print server, file server,
router, wireless access point, etc.) to save power.
- If ISPs can decide about the configuration of the routers, it is
difficult for other companies to build products which can connect to
the internet (they would have to tunnel everything)
- it is difficult to run alternative software for routers, whom people
trust.
All the things are only available if you pay more to get the password.
Privacy and control over the devices has to be the default, not the
option you get, when you pay more.
Best Regards,
Matthias
--
Matthias Kirschner - FSFE - Fellowship Coordinator, German Coordinator
FSFE, Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290 +49-1577-1780003
Weblog (blogs.fsfe.org/mk) - Contact (fsfe.org/about/kirschner)
Support FSFE! http://fsfe.org/support/?mk
We just published this PR. Feel free to distribute the graphic
https://fsfe.org/graphics/xbox-infographic.png.
Best Regards,
Matthias
= As Microsoft repeal some Xbox restrictions, more apply to other products =
[Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2013/news-20130620-02.en.html ]
Faced with user protests, Microsoft has been forced to make the terms
for its latest Xbox gaming console look a little less restrictive [1].
However, the “new” terms which had caused such outrage were not in fact
new at all: they were similar to most other proprietary software
licences, including those covering other Microsoft software products and
on-line services.
Restrictions on selling, sharing and gift-giving appear, for example, in
the Windows 7 and Office 2013 licences. Similar restrictions will
continue to apply to the Xbox one in that "downloaded titles cannot be
shared or resold" [1]. Geographic restrictions can also apply to Office
2013, along a class action waiver. Gamers who were angered by the
invasive, inadequate and mandatory 24 hour check-in and Kinect
voice/motion sensor may be similarly angered by the clause demanding
“you must comply with any technical limitations in the software that
only allow you to use it in certain ways. You may not work around any
technical limitations in the software” in the Windows 7 licence.[2]
“Even after reversing course on some of the more egregious Xbox One
terms, Microsoft still leaves its users wearing digital handcuffs,”
says Karsten Gerloff, FSFE's president. “We encourage everyone to
choose Free Software instead, and break free of these restrictions.”
“While proprietary licenses restrict your freedom, Free Software
always guarantees that you can use the software for any purpose, to
study how it works, to share it with others, and modify it to your
needs” says Matthias Kirschner, FSFE's Head of Public Awareness.
“Users should not have to beg for these rights.”
*** FSFE's infographic about the Xbox restrictions is available on
https://fsfe.org/graphics/xbox-infographic.png - It is still unclear
what exactly the full license will or will not contain, for example,
mention of the Class Action Waiver has been removed, but no statement
has been made to repeal it. ***
1. http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update
2. http://download.microsoft.com/Documents/UseTerms/Windows_7%20Home%20Basic%2…
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, 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.
http://fsfe.org/
_______________________________________________
Press-release mailing list
Press-release(a)fsfeurope.org
https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/press-release
Hi!
The Italian Ministry of Education University and Research (MIUR) offers
every year a series of obligatory written tests in order to evaluate the
levels of student learning. Those tests are carried out by the National
Institute for the Evaluation of Educational System (INVALSI)[1] from
which it derives its name: "INVALSI tests". The INVALSI is subject to
supervision by the MIUR and of course they should work in a neutral way
towards the market of the software, but unfortunately it is not.
The INVALSI provides schools with an XLS file which contains macros to
record the evaluation of the students. Of course this file doesn't work
with Free Software and doing so the INVALSI force schools to use
proprietary software.
Unfortunately the XLS file was provided to me by a school, but they
asked to me to not spread it (for the moment). I posted a screencapture
of the macro in action on proprietary software.
http://lugscandiano.org/index.php/File:Invalsi_non-free.png
I would like that the FSFE get active with the MIUR and the INVALSI to
ask them to solve this problem of freedom. Of course I will be glad to
get myself active to this campaign and I can ask for the cooperation of
the LUG Scandiano, to which I belong, which in the past has been very
active on the PDFreaders campaign. Maybe we could even ask for a support
of the Italian Community of LibreOffice and perhaps also of The Document
Foundation to give more weight to our eventual action.
Next weekend I will meet Italo Vignoli, from The Document Foundation, in
an event dedicated to Libre Office organized by LUG Scandiano. If you
think it might be useful I could talk to him about this idea.
Please let me know.
Ciao,
Massimo
1. http://www.invalsi.it/invalsi/index.php
--
IM: massimo(a)jabber.fsfe.org - GnuPG Public Key-Id: 0x5D168FC1
