Sorry for spamming (in case you have picked up on this story already).
I am sure our politicians and civil servants will be careful in their
awarding of tenders.
Regards
Bob
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Meredith Filak <meredith.filak(a)gmail.com>
Date: 2009/5/26
Subject: [A2k] Red Hat Sues Switzerland Over Microsoft Monopoly
To: A2k <a2k(a)lists.essential.org>
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/red-hat-sues-switzerland-over-microsoft-m…
Red Hat Sues Switzerland Over Microsoft Monopoly
* 22-05-2009
* By Peter Judge
£8 million a year to Microsoft, with no public bidding. And that's just the
tip of the iceberg, say open source activists
Linux vendor Red Hat, and 17 other vendors, have protested a Swiss
government contract given to Microsoft without any public bidding. The move
exposes a wider Microsoft monopoly that European governments accept, despite
their lip service for open source, according to commentators.
The Red Hat group has asked a Swiss federal court to overturn a three-year
contract issued to Microsoft by the Swiss Federal Bureau for Building and
Logistics, to provide Windows desktops and applications, with support and
maintenance, for 14 million Swiss Franc (£8 million) each year. The
contract, for "standardised workstations", was issued with no public bidding
process, Red Hat's legal team reports in a blog - because the Swiss agency
asserted there was no sufficient alternative to Microsoft products.
Red Hat and others have made the obvious response that there are plenty of
alternatives to Microsoft, and the current situation makes them more
attractive than ever, according to a report issued this week by Freeform
Dynamics.
"It's not just Switzerland who have been getting away with this kind of
nonsense," said Mark Taylor of the UK-based Open Source Consortium, adding
that much of the credit for this action should go to the Free Software
Foundation Europe, led by Georg Greve.
"All over Europe this kind of thing is happening, and in the UK almost all
public sector tenders that we see actually *specify* Microsoft products,"
said Taylor. "Even those that don't will normally insist that the tendered
for technology ties in with specific Microsoft products. I cannot imagine
any other area of Government procurement where this practice would be
allowed."
Governments are tacitly accepting Microsoft's monopoly on their ICT systems,
said Taylor, despite public statements such as the UK's recent announcement
that it could save £600 million a year with open source said Taylor: "The
cost is phenomenal," he added, with Government spending billions a year on
proprietary systems. "It is a scandal and a waste of public money that makes
the MPs expenses scandal look like a drop in the ocean, and yet hardly
anyone talks about it!"
The challenge to the Swiss government "raises important issues of openness
in government and of a level playing field for open source and other
competitors of Microsoft," said Red Hat's legal team. "Red Hat is seeking a
public bidding process that allows for consideration of the technical and
commercial advantages of open source software products."
Even within Switzerland, Red Hat countered the bureau's argument, by
pointing to several Swiss agencies, including the City of Zurich, the
Federal Agency for Computer Sciences and Telecommunictions (BIT), and the
Federal Institute for Intellectual Property (IGE), who are Red Hat
customers.
Microsoft's European chair, Jan Muehlfeit recently boasted to eWEEK that
Microsoft effectively owns 40 percent of all Europe's IT, on the occasion of
a giant promotional event with the EU in Brussels.
European ignorance and hostility to open source and free software is such
that a group has launched a pact for candidates in the forthcoming European
elections to sign,.pledging support for free software.
_______________________________________________
A2k mailing list
A2k(a)lists.essential.org
http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/a2k
This event will probably be very interesting. Could anyone attend and
either take notes or record the audio (maybe with a digital camera)?
(forwarding mail from keith(a)clubheadbangbang.org to ILUG)
> Key Legal Issues in the Technology Sector
>
> Tuesday, 26th May 2009 6pm
>
> Venue: Innovation Works, Kerry Technology Park, Tralee
>
> A seminar on dealing with latest legal developments in the technology sector
> from leading specialists.
>
> If you are interested in attending please contact JB Healy Crowley Solicitors,
> Killorglin, Co Kerry on 066 9761116 or email agannon(a)jbhc.ie
>
>
> AGENDA
>
> 6.00 pm Registration/Tea and Coffee
>
> 6.05pm Open Source Software – What you need to know?
>
> Open source software is widely used in many aspects of software development.
> Using examples from recorded cases and practice, this lecture will provide
> insights into legal issues concerning open source software and deals with
> topics such as:-
>
> • What is best practice concerning the use of open source software?
> • What are the restrictions on use of software which incorporates open source
> software?
> • Who enforces rights associated with open source software?
> • Where now for open source software?
> Presented by Colm Kelly, JB Healy Crowley Solicitors
>
> 6.25 pm Current Issues in Patenting Software
>
> Patenting software presents specific challenges depending on the nature of the
> software and the intended market. In this talk a leading patent attorney, will
> discuss the best ways to protect your innovation through the patent system with
> references to the US and European markets
>
> Presented by Barry Moore, Hanna Moore and Curley, European Patent and Trade Mark
> Attorneys
>
> 6.50pm
> Questions/Discussion
>
> About your speakers
>
> COLM KELLY
>
> Colm Kelly is a partner in the firm of JB Healy Crowley solicitors and has over
> ten years experience in providing advice on technology law. He has acted for
> both investors and technology companies in connection with venture capital
> investments as well as having negotiated all forms of technology contracts. He
> trained as a solicitor with a leading commercial law firm, where he
> subsequently worked as a qualified solicitor for several years. He joined JB
> Healy Crowley Solicitors, Killorglin, as a partner in 2007 having worked for
> the previous three years as in-house counsel to Kerry based financial services
> firm, FEXCO. He holds a masters degree (NUI) in copyright law (on the topic of
> performers’ rights) and is the co-author of the annotations to the Irish
> copyright legislation and sole author of a similar publication on Ireland’s
> industrial designs legislation. He currently lectures at the Cork Law School
> on intellectual property and IT law.
>
>
> BARRY MOORE
>
> Barry Moore is a patent attorney with Hanna, Moore & Curley whose main areas of
> expertise are in the practice of high technology, software and medical devices.
> Having worked for a campus company and as a research scientist prior to
> becoming a patent attorney, Barry is a Chartered Physicist. He has partaken in
> strategy groups advising the Irish Government on Research, Development and
> Innovation, and sat on the Irish Government Task Force advising on
> nanotechnology. He also represented the Irish Software Association in advising
> European Members of Parliament on the EU Software Patent Directives. He is a
> named inventor on US 6028663 and specialises in patents relating to
> electronics, semiconductors, MEMS structures, optics, software and
> communications systems and is also active in obtaining protection for consumer
> appliances.
--
Ciarán O'Riordan, +32 487 64 17 54, http://ciaran.compsoc.com/
NEW! software patents wiki: http://en.swpat.org/
End Software Patents: http://www.EndSoftwarePatents.org/
Donate: http://endsoftwarepatents.org/donate
List: http://campaigns.fsf.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/esp-action-alert
Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) Newsletter - April 2009
Do you know one thing that makes Free Software sustainable? You! Yes, it
is your support that allows us to operate across the whole Europe and at
different levels to promote and defend Free Software principles.
Amongst other things, your donations made possible the planning and
coordination of the Second European Licensing and Legal Workshop. They
allowed the Austrian team to participate in many public events across
the whole Austria and to continue having an intern in our Zurich office.
We finished the accounting work for the last year and we published our
financial figures. Take a look at them to see how we use your donations.
I want to conclude by introducing a couple of changes in the newsletter.
I hope they will improve your 'reading experience' of FSFE's ongoing
work. First, "In the spotlight" is a new section where I will treat in more
details a selected news. Second, since time passes by and the events
pile up, I will pick-up a noteworthy item from the past and mention it
under the "It happened in the past" section.
Giacomo Poderi
1. Second European Licensing and Legal Workshop for Free Software, 23-24 April
2. FSFE at WIPO's 3rd Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property
3. FSFE amicus brief to European Patent Office on Software Patents
4. The Fellowship interviews: Myriam Schweingruber
5. FSFE welcomes Thomas Jensch, new intern for Zurich office
6. Fellowship vote for GA seats - the election is ongoing
7. Renewal of Fellowship services
8. PDFreaders.org enjoys continued success
9. FSFE invades Austria
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
10. FSFE - Income and Expense 2008
IT HAPPENED IN THE PAST
11. The first Fellowship Smartcards
UPCOMING EVENTS
12. FSFE at eLiberatica 2009, 22-23 May
1. Second European Licensing and Legal Workshop for Free Software, 23-24 April
The second European Licensing and Legal Workshop was a resounding
success. On 23 and 24 April, legal experts and interested parties in
Free Software licensing gathered in Amsterdam for a vibrant event
organised by our Freedom Task Force (FTF) and sponsored by Bender von
Haller Dragsted, Blackduck, Canonical, HP and Mozilla. Harald Welte,
from gplviolations.org, says from his blog: "I have to admit that it was
a big surprise to me that the constructive atmosphere and the quality of
the presentations, panels and hallway discussions has even improved beyond
the already exceptional level last year". Indeed, the conference was
considerably bigger than in 2008, and planning is already under way for
an enhanced and even larger event in 2010.
http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/press-release/2009q1/000233.html
2. FSFE at WIPO's 3rd Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property
>From 27 April to 1 May, FSFE's President Georg Greve, participated to
the "Committee on Development and Intellectual Property: Third
Session" (CDIP/3) at World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO). In preparation to that meeting, Georg published "The case for
a World Innovation Policy Organisation", reflecting on the current
significance of the WIPO Development Agenda and how it should relate
to international issues such as the one of software patents. Issues
that Georg raised at CDIP/3 as three formal intervention on FSFE's behalf
throughout the week.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=321http://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=327http://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=333http://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=340http://fsfe.org/projects/wipo/
3. FSFE amicus brief to European Patent Office on Software Patents
Along with many other organisations, FSFE submitted its comments to
the European Patent Office (EPO) on the patentability of software,
responding to a request of the Enlarged Board of Appeal. In the
submission, FSFE explains why software patents are harmful for
innovation, competition and economy, based also on the rationale of
the work done at WIPO's Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP)
in March.
http://fsfe.org/projects/swpat/epo-response-042009.htmlhttp://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=302
4. The Fellowship interviews: Myriam Schweingruber
Myriam Schweingruber is the Fellow interviewed for "The smallest unit
of freedom" series. Myriam is a devoted Free Software advocate with a
flair for convincing people. Having worked as a translator, a school
teacher and a pharmacist, Myriam is quite experienced in the art of
communication, and gives a clear impression of trustworthiness. In the
interview she tells us about her experiences with Whilhelm Tux,
Amarok, KDE, FSFE and Free Software in general.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/fellowship-interviews/?p=46
5. FSFE welcomes Thomas Jensch, new intern for Zurich office
We are happy to welcome Thomas Jensch as our new intern in the Zurich
office. Thomas is a political science student at the University of
Leipzig in Germany. His job during the next 8 months will be to help
us in administrative work and to support the President in coordinating
his various activities. Once again, welcome on board Thomas!
Doing an internship at FSFE is an exciting and formative experience.
If you want to be our next intern, take a look at:
http://fsfe.org/contribute/internship.html
6. Fellowship vote for GA seats - the election is ongoing
The voting period for the first seat at our General Assembly (GA)
reserved to a Fellow is approaching. The four candidates: Torsten
Grote, Jan-Hendrik Peters, Michel Roche, and Björn Schiessle presented
themselves to the whole Fellowship. You can get to know them by
visiting their blogs and our wiki election page. The approaching and
important dates are: the entire month of May as the voting period and
the 1 June 2009, when we will announce the results. All our Fellows
already received an e-mail containing information and instructions on
the voting procedures.
http://wiki.fsfe.org/election09http://fsfe.org/news/2009/news-20090411-01.html
7. Renewal of Fellowship services
The work on the new Fellowship technological infrastructure is going
on. Last month, we completed the migration from the old Fellowship
portal to the new site http://fellowship.fsfe.org (for more
information about moving your data: http://wiki.fsfe.org/OldPortal)
and we activated the new home page, registration procedure and account
management pages. You can find an overview of the active Fellowship
services at http://wiki.fsfe.org/FellowshipServices and stay informed
about their status following the "Fellowship News" blog at:
http://fellowship.fsfe.org/news/http://fellowship.fsfe.org/news.rss
8. PDFreaders.org enjoys continued success
PDFreaders.org was launched less than six months ago, as a Fellowship
project to promote Free Software PDF readers for all the major
platforms. Since then, the website has become a formidable success,
gaining the attention of several vendors of proprietary PDF readers,
including Adobe, as well as much positive response from the community.
April saw yet another increase in traffic after an RSA security
conference, where Mikko Hypponen research officer at F-Secure referred
to PDFreaders.org in light of the recently disclosed vulnerabilities
present in Adobe Reader. Our volunteers managed to translate
PDFreaders.org into 15 languages and our Fellows are continuously
updating it. New readers have recently been added and a major update
concerning Open Standard is approaching!
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10224449-83.htmlhttp://pdfreaders.org
9. FSFE invades Austria
Continuing the "Linuxwochen Österreich Tour" started in March, our
Austrian team spread Free Software principles to major Austrian events
for the whole April. The tour consists of six events, four of which in
April, for a total of nine days booth and six talks. Peter
Bubestinger, Deputy Coordinator Austria, held five of the speeches and
David Ayer, Austrian team member, held the one in Linz. The themes of
the talks ranged from Free Software in schools and education to future
scenarios on Free Software usage. These are the April stages of the
tour: "FLOSStag 2009", 15 April, Danube University Krems; "Linuxwochen
Wien", 16-18 April, Vienna; "Liwoli 2009", 23-25 April, University for
Art and Industrial Design Linz; "LinuxTage", 25 April, Graz.
SPOTLIGHT
10. FSFE - Income and Expense 2008
We recently published our financial figures for 2008. This has been an
intense year and as the previous ones it confirmed the growth of our
work's breadth. With 245,000 and 68,000 EUR respectively, donations
and the Fellowship programme confirmed to be vital to the sustainment
of our organisation. Once more, we would like to express our gratitude
to anyone who decided to donate or to become a Fellow. This allows us
to run our projects and to work for the diffusion and defence of Free
Software. With a total income of 383,221 EUR and an expense of 303,419
EUR, 2008 concluded with a very positive balance and this will allow
us to empower our organisation as we were planning to do since some
time now.
To manage and coordinate the ever growing base of employees and
volunteers working for us at local, national and international level
we decided to look for an Executive Director as a full-time
employee. A similar figure will also be hired to coordinate the
Fellowship programme and to overview our German area, where most of
the Fellows and our donors come from. The activities of our Freedom
Task Force (FTF) will also be strengthened and finally, we will
investigate the possibilities to extend our policy work on EU and UN
levels. We hope you will continue to follow and to support us!
http://fsfe.org/about/funds/2008.html
Relevant links
http://fsfe.org/donate/thankgnus.htmlhttp://fellowship.fsfe.org/http://fsfe.org/news/2009/news-20090414-01.html
IT HAPPENED IN THE PAST
11. The first Fellowship Smartcards
It was only April 2005 when we prepared and delivered the first batch
of 250 Fellowship Smartcards. Since then, many more people joined the
Fellowship and many more Smartcards have been delivered.
http://fellowship.fsfe.org/card.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
12. FSFE participates to eLiberatica 2009, 22-23 May
Georg will talk about the challenges of the traditional
standardisation system, the role of patenting and the mechanisms that
allow us to cope with legal issues at eLiberatica 2009. One of the
biggest events discussing Free Software in Eastern Europe.
http://www.eliberatica.ro/2009/index
You can find a list of all FSFE newsletters on
http://fsfe.org/news/newsletter.html
You can join the Fellowship and find how to support us on
http://fellowship.fsfe.org/joinhttp://fsfe.org/contribute/contribute.html
Copyright (C) FSFE. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire
article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.