It has been another busy month for software freedom. Open Standards have
continued to dominate discussions in ICT with the MS-OOXML proposal being
accepted by ISO as a standard. FSFE and numerous other parties have observed
this process from the beginning and have reason to be concerned about the state
of international standardisation. You could read more about this in our
lead story below.
Document freedom, open access and software licensing are increasingly
important topics of discussion. Awareness of these issues has never been
higher but at the same time the challenges faced have never been so difficult.
As Free Software becomes more accepted, so too do the attempts by those
supporting restrictions and constraint to undermine our movement. We need
your help to ensure that logic, fairness and decisions for the benefit of all
continue to be heeded by decision-markets in Europe and beyond. If you
have some free time, please visit http://fsfeurope.org/contribute/ and
see how you can contribute to our success.
Shane, FSFE Zurich Office
1. MS-OOXML approved by ISO, FSFE concerned about standardisation process
2. FSFE context briefing: Interoperability woes with MS-OOXML
3. Document Freedom Day - young but strong
4. Keynote at Chemnitzer Linux-Tagen, Germany
5. FSFE co-launches Open Parliament initiative
6. Speech on Free Software licensing and the GPLv3 at OSiM USA
7. FTF delivers licensing courses in Zurich, Switzerland
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
8. (2008-04-19) Linuxwochen, Krems, Austria
9. (2008-04-19) Linuxwochen, Graz, Austria
10. (2008-05-15 to 2008-05-17) Linuxwochen, Vienna, Austria
1. MS-OOXML approved by ISO, FSFE concerned about standardisation process
Microsoft received Ecma's approval for the partial documentation of its
Office 2007 file format in December 2006 as Ecma-376. Ecma then filed
Ecma-376 for ISO approval as DIS29500. This raised concerns that in
spite of claims to the contrary this would turn out to be a strategic
move to get ISO approval at all cost for pure marketing purposes.
FSFE's own experience in some countries and the reports about various
irregularities around the world confirmed that concern. These concerns
also overshadow the final approval of MS-OOXML as an ISO standard. ISO
certification was never a seal for Open Standards, as demonstrated by
patent-encumbered formats like MPEG. But if technically deficient
documentation gets ISO approval, it questions ISO on a much more
fundamental level.
http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/press-release/2008q2/000206.htmlhttp://www.fsfe.org/fellows/ciaran/ciaran_s_free_software_notes/what_s_wron…http://www.fsfe.org/fellows/greve/freedom_bits/re_enacting_the_parrot_sketch
2. FSFE context briefing: Interoperability woes with MS-OOXML
FSFE released a context briefing on interoperability problems caused by
Microsoft's Office OpenXML format: "The proposed MS-OOXML/DIS29500
specification raises serious technical and legal concerns. This context
briefing highlights three examples of how the proposed specification and
its practical implementation in MS Office 2007 hinders interoperability,
fosters vendor dependence and results in market distortion."
http://fsfeurope.org/news/2008/news-20080305-01
3. Document Freedom Day - young but strong
We are happy to announce that the first Document Freedom Day was a
complete success. Great response we received from the teams during the
preparations and registration process, resulted with lots of activities
on March 26th all over the globe. DFD Teams did their best to pass the
message of document freedom and importance of Open Standards. DFD flags
were hoisted around the world in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, North
and South America.
Events and activities of more than 200 DFD teams ranged for street
events and speeches to an award for the German governmental body that adopted
good policies in the field of Document Freedom and Open Standards. We are
expressing our biggest gratitude to all DFD teams for being part of the
community and contribution in making DFD08 successful.
http://documentfreedom.org/
4. Keynote at Chemnitzer Linux-Tagen, Germany
Shane Coughlan, the coordinator of FSFE's Freedom Task Force, delivered the
keynote speech at Chemnitzer Linux-Tagen at 13:00 on the 1st of March. The
title of the keynote was 'Free Software in the ICT mainstream' and covered
issues ranging from licensing through to Free Software on the desktop. The
key message of the speech was that we have come a long way, and now that we
are a mainstream technology we can accomplish even more. The big question
remaining for each individual is simply "what will I contribute to this?"
http://chemnitzer.linux-tage.de/2008/vortraege/detail.html?idx=223
5. FSFE co-launches Open Parliament initiative
The Open Parliament petition was launched in March to initiate a review of
the European Parliament's policies regarding internal software use and file
formats for published information. If this petition gathers enough support
to launch a review, FSFE will have a guiding role in the process. The
official petition is an internal matter for the European Parliament, but
there is also an online petition where FSFE asks free software supporters to
show their support. This petition was co-launched with OpenForum Europe and
ESOMA. More information on this will be published soon on the fsfe.org
blogs.
http://www.openparliament.eu/
6. Speech on Free Software licensing and the GPLv3 at OSiM USA
Shane Coughlan, FTF coordinator, delivered a speech entitled 'Analysing
Whether GPLv3 Has Improved Free Software Licensing' at OSiM USA on Tuesday
the 12th of March in San Francisco. The speech covered topics ranging from
the creation of GPLv3 and its place in licensing through to examining the
place of GPLv3 in tomorrow's market. Reaction was positive and productive
discussions with telecommunications companies took place afterwards.
7. FTF delivers licensing courses in Zurich, Switzerland
Shane Coughlan, FTF coordinator, delivered two training courses in Zurich,
Switzerland as part of the Free Task Force programme to increase awareness
and understanding of software licensing issues. On the 7th of March a half
day session entitled 'Free Software in the public sector' was delivered, and
on the 21st of March another half day session entitled 'Introduction to Free
Software licensing' was presented to an audience of local Free Software
advocates and activists. If you are interested in helping the FTF with its
outreach programme and would like to have training sessions in your area,
please contact the FTF as soon as possible:
http://fsfeurope.org/projects/ftf/contact
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
8. (2008-04-19) Linuxwochen, Krems, Austria
On Tuesday 15 April 2007 at 16:15, Reinhard Müller gives a speech about open
standards and free document formats at a Linuxwochen event at the Danube
University Krems. The FSFE also has a booth at the event where it informs
about its work and about Free Software in general. Admission is free for the
whole event.
http://lug.krems.cc/linuxtag2008/
9. (2008-04-19) Linuxwochen, Graz, Austria
On Saturday 19 April 2007 at 12:00, Reinhard Müller gives a speech about open
standards and free document formats at Linuxwochen event at the University of
Applied Sciences "Johanneum" in Graz. The FSFE also has a booth at the event
where it informs about its work and about Free Software in general.
Admission is free for the whole event.
http://www.linuxtage.at/
10. (2008-05-15 to 2008-05-17) Linuxwochen, Vienna, Austria
>From 15 to 17 May, an event of the Linuxwochen Austria will take place in the
building of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Rudolf-Sallinger-Platz 1, 3rd
district, Vienna. A group of Fellows will be present with a booth where they
inform about FSFE, the Fellowship, and Free Software in general.
Admission is free for the whole event.
http://www.linuxwochen.at/
You can find a list of all FSFE newsletters on
http://www.fsfeurope.org/news/newsletter.en.html
Copyright (C) FSFE. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire
article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/tech/2F5C3C5D68A380EDCC257423006E71CD
A 3D duplicator called RepRap, released under GPL, aiming to make a
version that can replicate itself.
This will be the point at which hardware patents become as damaging to
innovation as software patents are.
We really need to get the hard thinking about our rights in regard to
such devices now rather than later. Has RMS had anything to say on the
subject?
(cc'd to Mr Stallman for his attention)
- d.
also sent to info arond fsf.org
---
Hello,
My name is Bogdan Bivolaru (surname Bogdan). I write for some time to
support free software, but some of my ideas seemed to be underpromoted.
So I thought why should these ideas lie lonely on my websites/blogs - I
should offer them to the wider world, so that these ideas get promoted,
gain traction and who knows? maybe one of them turns into a real
project. So here I publish them, to the home of the free software
definition and the home of free software concept and the home of the GNU
Project.
In this message I present my ideas on collaboration between
non-programmers in the land of freedom and in the new software economy.
I have so far written several articles/ideas on promoting Free Software
using Free culture. I'll attempt to summary these ideas here and provide
links for further reading. Please do send comments and questions (also
send negative comments).
What I believe Free Culture needs to grow:
* free software tools for sharing artwork and their integration into
creational tools - GIMP, OpenOffice, Blender, Audacity need
versioning capabilities;
* a tool to find others work according to different criteria - free
software "coders" have http://krugle.org, artists need something
similar to the proprietary "Goo gle" Image Labeler - or semantic
search engine for artwork, such as
http://nepomuk.semanticdesktop.org/;
* making artwork files formats more modular so that artists can work
in parallel (autonomously) of each other;
* lots of marketing targeted to artists.
I believe there is empirical evidence that people appreciate freedom as
long as they experience it directly. Likewise, I believe artists will
best experience freedom in software not by filing bugs and writing
documentation, but by submitting their own work to a common pool of
artwork an see it being improved by others who either have more time or
are more experienced.
I see these two concepts, free software and free culture, as symbiotic
because:
* Free software is an enabler for Free Culture (free culture is
impossible in the absence of free software);
* Free Culture creates test cases that can be used to promote Free
Software (allows us to say "look what can be done with Free
Software!");
* Free Culture enlarges our user base with active, participative users;
* Free Cultural works can be included (embedded) in Free software -
for icons, themes, examples.
What else means promoting Free Software through Free Culture? It means
we need to start advertising the collaboration tools in our software. We
have to enable and encourage artists to share their work with other
artists and with the world - just as our programmers do. Go out there
and tell student/young artists how they can work more efficient as a
collective. Show them examples of "free cultural projects' that are
successful and which they can contribute to. Examples include:
1. Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>
2. Students for Free Culture <http://freeculture.org/>
3. Mutopia Project - sharing free music sheets
<http://www.mutopiaproject.org/>
4. Project Gutenberg, the first producer of free electronic books
<http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page>
I consider as part of the free culture any reproducible work:
* accounting exercises for teaching in schools;
* office templates (there are already several office templates
projects);
* 2D images;
* 3D models with textures;
* psychology questionares;
* music sheets.
Should we have a community that goes by the principles of "free
software" for each or most fields of human activity, we shall achieve
far greater success than what we got by now.
A sizable, realistic objective for free culture: add versioning support
to the "The Blender 3D Model Repository"
http://e2-productions.com/repository/modules/PDdownloads/
Last, but not the least I should remark that supporting free culture
does not deny proprietary culture artists to use our free software tools
- that's why they are free software, so that one can use them for any
purpose they wish.
Other thoughts of mine on this matter:
* Promoting Free software [kind of
agressive]https://www.fsfe.org/en/fellows/vadania/my_ideas_on_how_to_improv…
* Non software contributors in Free Society
https://www.fsfe.org/en/fellows/vadania/my_ideas_on_how_to_improve_free_sof…
* Promoting Linux as a tool for a participative community
https://www.fsfe.org/en/fellows/vadania/my_ideas_on_how_to_improve_free_sof…
* Workspace for Colaborative Development in Different Domains
http://thetuxproject.com/node/263
* Freedomware calls for artists, end users
http://thetuxproject.com/node/286
All materials are CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Please do contact me
if you find any material that is not under a free license.
I have learnt about some ray-tracing features in the new DirectX library
(version 11)
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=526
This would, again, let the OpenGL library as lagging behind and playing
catch up with the proprietary library DirectX. This would again turn away
game developers and gamers from our free software operating systems.
As said in the article at TechARP, on the hardware side, AMD and Intel would
have no problem making their devices compatible with the new library. But
Nvidia, is said to be in trouble.
Completely unofficial and unrelated (after all, of all companies said to be
involved only AMD recognizes it is working on this raytracing thing for
DirectX), I see this as an oportunity to gain the support of Nvidia to add
such features to OpenGL - and make them compatible with Nvidia cards.
With Nvidia financing and their marketing muscle we could get financial
support to run a fund raising campaign - similar to the "Free Blender" fund
raising one - to add something like Blender engine ray-tracing features to
OpenGL.
What I think about Nvidia:
I find they do bad not to release their Linux drivers under a free license,
but I have no problem using their commercial interests for the advancement
of freedom - this time in OpenGL.
Here's about "Free Blender" campaign:
http://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/history/
Here are some ray tracing rendering engines:
Blender rendering options in Blender v. 2.3
http://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-232/rendering-optio…
Blender itself is available under the GPL license see
http://www.blender.org/documentation/htmlII/a11911.html
Another free as in freedom ray tracing engine (LGPL)
http://www.yafray.org/
Here is more about OpenGL library http://opengl.org/about/licensing/
Direct X: I intentionally left out of the message the name of producer of
the Direct_X library. This is also part of a personal campaign not mention
their name in posts - as they are not worthy of it.
--
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it.", 1971, Alan Kay:
http://www.smalltalk.org/alankay.html
on ThinkFree Blog [1], the ThinkFree's marketing manager, replying to
a customer asking if ThinkFree (a multiplatform office suite) 'll
support ODF, replied [2]:
I'm marketing manager Benedict from ThinkFree.
Thanks for your suggestion !
We are also considering the ODF support in ThinkFree.
By the way, There is one obstacle for solving the problem…
That is MS Policy for ODF, Because of interoperability with MS Office
in ThinkFree, We still need the MS cooperation that support OOXML,,,
I think you can understand this situation & MS policy strategy…
But we plan to solve this political problems, and also We will make the detour.
Anyway, We feel your kind mind…
Thanks
Please, could someone from FSFE contact ThinkFree [3] to understand
what *MS policy for ODF* are they talking about and what kind of *MS
cooperation* they need to be interoperable with MS Office ???
Maybe those information 'll be interesting for the EU's Anti-Trust
Investigation of OOXML...
bye
---
Stefano Spinucci
FSFE Fellow
[1] http://blog.thinkfree.com/2008/03/24/quantum-leap-thinkfree-will-launch-the…
[2] the Benedict comment was posted on April 8, 2008 @ 12:43 am
[3] http://company.thinkfree.com/views/jsp/user/etc/contact.jsp
Dear Friend,
We have seen the likes of "the politically motivated" slowly bringing a
country into ruin, because they no longer stand for, or even understand, the
idea of having an ideological concept as a goal. Read each other's writings:
it is "I" and rarely "We the people." At the founding of this country, men
(We) stood shoulder to shoulder and fought for FREEDOM; then the government
was formed as a way to defend people from the oppressive processes. The
processes have resurfaced, evolved and become more complex but they are
still processes people have once again allowed themselves to be controlled
by. The country needs to define what was lost over time, and what to fight
for. Do you really want to know what the soul really yearns for leaders to
do, even if they appear to not know it or want it? Try this webblog to get
an idea of the things which this country (We) can (will) stand for:
http://the-next-election.blogspot.com
It is prophetic; and won't go away, and will be satisfied.
John K. Gregory
greg1011(a)bellsouth.net
404-294-1377
> http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/34784prs20080404.html
> http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/freespeech/in_re_bilski_aclu_amicus.pdf
---
ACLU Introduces First Amendment Argument In Key Patent Law Case
(4/4/2008)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212)549-2666; media(a)aclu.org
Patenting Abstract Ideas Violates The Constitution, Group Says
WASHINGTON - Introducing a rare argument applying the First Amendment
to patent law, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a friend of
the court brief today urging a federal court to uphold the denial of a
patent that would, if awarded, violate freedom of speech. In the
brief, the ACLU argues that Bernard L. Bilski is seeking a patent for
an abstract idea, and that abstract ideas are not patentable under the
First Amendment.
"The court must ensure that any test it uses in determining whether to
award a patent is in line with the Constitution," said Christopher
Hansen, senior staff attorney with the ACLU First Amendment Working
Group, who filed the brief. "If the government had the authority to
grant exclusive rights to an idea, the fundamental purpose of the
First Amendment - to protect an individual's right to thought and
expression - would be rendered meaningless."
In 2006, Bilski sought a patent for his idea that the weather risk
involved in buying and selling commodities could be minimized if
sellers had conversations with two buyers instead of one. The U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office denied his request and the Board of Patent
Appeals and Interferences affirmed the denial. Bilski appealed that
decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the
court has agreed to hear the case in a single joint session in May.
"Patent law prohibits the patenting of abstract ideas, but recently
the courts and the patent office have been granting patents that
consist essentially of speech or thought," said Hansen. "If the
government continues to allow patents of speech or thought it risks
violating the First Amendment. No one can have a monopoly on an idea
or prohibit speech on a particular subject."
The ACLU's brief is available online here:
www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/34783lgl20080403.html
Hi! I'm writing guidelines for IETF document authors on how to achieve
free software compatible copyright and patent licenses [1]. The
copyright area is rather well understood, I think; pick any liberal
license that is compatible with all (reasonable) free software licenses
and you are done.
However, the patent license area seems less clear to me.
Does anyone have some references to any patent license that have been
deemed acceptable to some free software projects?
Going further, is there some kind of patent license that free software
would _prefer_ (as opposed to just _accept_)?
To give a concrete example of what I'm thinking of:
There is one patent license in <https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/942/>:
Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, Google hereby
grants to You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge,
royalty-free, irrevocable (except as stated in this License) patent
license for patents necessarily infringed by implementation (in whole
or in part) of this specification. If You institute patent litigation
against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a
lawsuit) alleging that the implementation of the specification
constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then any
patent licenses for the specification granted to You under this
License shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.
This patent license is a reciprocal license, but is fairly limited in
scope.
Would that be acceptable to free software projects?
/Simon
[1] http://josefsson.org/bcp78broken/draft-josefsson-free-standards-howto.html
Hello
I had an idea about a patent license some time ago, but I didn't have the
time to express it in a meaningful way.
I'll make an attempt here.
My idea starts with the question: is it possible to "copyleft" a patent?
(I know copyleft is derived from copyright != patent system) But still, I
view copyleft as a philosophy so ...
Can someone license the use of a patent to others as long they don't try to
enforce their own patents ?
--
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it.", 1971, Alan Kay:
http://www.smalltalk.org/alankay.html
Hello,
Sorry, I didn't finish reading all messages posted, therefore repeating
others' words.
In my opinion this reciprocal license should stop its' availability once
someone starts to enforce it against non-litigators (non-trolls). But
enforcing a patent on a (proven) troll should not end the patent license,
thus allowing its possessor to defend herself/himself. Surely a troll uses
software too...
Why should it be otherwise?
Have fun,
Bogdan
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Acceptable patent license for free software? (zBog BIV)
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "zBog BIV" <bogdanb.frie0606(a)spambob.net>
> To: discussion(a)fsfeurope.org
> Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:54:13 +0300
> Subject: Acceptable patent license for free software?
> Hello
>
> I had an idea about a patent license some time ago, but I didn't have the
> time to express it in a meaningful way.
>
> I'll make an attempt here.
> My idea starts with the question: is it possible to "copyleft" a patent?
> (I know copyleft is derived from copyright != patent system) But still, I
> view copyleft as a philosophy so ...
>
> Can someone license the use of a patent to others as long they don't try
> to enforce their own patents ?
>
>
>
>
> --
> "The best way to predict the future is to invent it.", 1971, Alan Kay:
> http://www.smalltalk.org/alankay.html
> _______________________________________________
> Discussion mailing list
> Discussion(a)fsfeurope.org
> https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/discussion
>
>
--
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it.", 1971, Alan Kay:
http://www.smalltalk.org/alankay.html