Hi everyone,
In the Guardian today, you'll find a great article by Cory Doctorow.
If people around you struggle to understand the issue, this is the right
thing to send them.
"What happens with digital rights management in the real world?"
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/feb/05/digital-rights-manag…
I feel like making a poster with this article..
Best,
Lucile
--
Lucile Falgueyrac - Free Software Foundation Europe
FSFE, Schönhauser Allee 6/7, 10119 Berlin
XMPP : lucile.falg(a)jabber.fsfe.org
Support FSFE! https://fsfe.org/
There was some discussion at FOSDEM on Saturday about how to get MEP
interest in free software
One thing that appeared today is this report about corruption in public
institutions throughout the EU:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26014387
Has any research been done to identify whether use of free software
reduces the rate of corruption in IT projects and operational budgets?
The complete elimination of licensing payments would theoretically
eliminate one opportunity for bad things to happen both directly (e.g.
purchasing features/seat licenses that are not really needed) and
indirectly (e.g. opportunities for VAT fraud on license payments)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Hello together,
we all love Free Software because one of its great advantages is the strenght of
the community. We have great possibilities to influence the development of the
tools we use by bug reports, issue trackers, and wish lists.
I'm very sure you use some nice tools every day whose author's name you don't
even know. Or you wrote some bug reports in an annoyed mood for software, but
never thanked the author(s) for the good work?
Don't worry, I don't want to make you feel bad about those things. But why not
taking the opportunity to thank developers and contributors for their effort to
ease and beautify our daily life on a day, many people use to show and celebrate
love anyway?
This Valentine's Day, we call on you to show your respect and appreciation to
all or certain developers and contributors of Free Software. Think about the
software you use or which made your life a lot easier and... hm, yes, what?
We listed many examples how you can show your love for Free Software on
http://ilovefs.org - using banners, hugging developers, wearing T-shirts, or
(micro)blogging about it, it's your choice!
*Get active*:
You are following our mailing lists, so you already know that there're a lot of
people loving Free Software and the idea behind it. But did you know that there
are also many well-known politicians, artists, or journalists who appreciate
Free Software? We want to collect quotes of those people on our special
testimonial page [1].
For this, I ask you to suggest (or better directly ask) people whose quote may
fit into this page. This can be developers and public advocates of Free Software
as well as actors, writers, or business people.
Thank you very much, I'm very curious about your suggestions!
Best regards,
Max
[1] http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2014/whylovefs.html
- --
Max Mehl - Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) - fsfe.org
Schönhauser Allee 6/7, 10119, Berlin | Phone: +49-30-27595290
About me: http://fsfe.org/about/mehl | Blog: blog.max-mehl.com
Support us: http://fsfe.org/support | Homepage: max-mehl.com
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.15 (GNU/Linux)
iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJS6pgDAAoJEOxlXmdUnkHi+5oH/20JaZqEicEYR+QaI2XBMI4B
04dCWNU78RmcTiunVyc82ZYdFipmkjvL0bcIkYUY5SbKdV+oyqPy3cCMrfDQFQzD
xGjdAh4KXN6FY04CAmwoIQDD+jdthdoiu1RF4tKbGl31Vz/RAV/o+1qYqCgH4V7e
2yUNiOSEn37XCefmYpI1Xn4PjBeLmN2q3bf8/7uUT8NvMCgA1rFz9p6Gv8GYz2VF
e4iYPeOqA0zK8+ZeeMn6ebC6t6EkgjjLtiwI/YScDprx0+8hKSgk4+8jB0c8OA6Y
7gB5fhU82QqZdaB+GmM7i3jzS59mekhU8Ak5OBAlUpQ3u+ttA+4Axy05De3YQ3o=
=nyyO
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
This bit of news has been getting around:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-01-24/bank-run-fears-continue-hsbc-restr…
I don't think it is about a bank run, more likely it is about trying to
get everybody using electronic means of payment to feed more information
back to big data.
I was really shocked on my last visit to a student bar in London, all
the 18 year olds paying for each beer with their card. It seems that
younger people are growing into these habits without even thinking about
it but the bank in question couldn't wait for older generations to die
off and wants to force them into using plastic as well.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512
Hi,
For those who did not know this yet: there is a large pgp key signing
party at FOSDEM. If you want to participate, you'll have to register
before Monday at https://fosdem.org/2014/keysigning.
- - Felix
- --
Felix C. Stegerman
vice-coordinator, dutch fellowship group of fsfe
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Icedove - http://www.enigmail.net/
iQIcBAEBCgAGBQJS5Eh1AAoJELIY/ywn/GzG48kP/iRQS6hvVqOwRQv1dNqviE3s
39M92gQ6c6FnX2ICq9yLj95pOeTzg+JByL8/JK78nAzQ4FISVNMpZK7hK/oCUYYU
IbmryzYHaaUXJkTzVxQFPShmycTsq1Ws+PlmOeoUB5uey+ZbEH/40DsBEhg7mflv
ImxNA90umcmi53b0mlWiskS70kSDKr76W95f/0B2Pu6M2HOn2bjShk2XB0b3r6fa
igI0pMR1PWu2gIwtOFZl6nsCdtbrR1XblYolIeuUQKpGeWOKZZyDXcOHPsn3tSiC
tgWzJTjHBAYv7SfmwRwmp4ZQPwlvKdjuhoePiGlsF61AHzHxf5hPCA+asNYpeAM3
yZEBLYaWr7cJjGhjfm8QjHkfFu0vTscLgxR/RMcdjaNMuXnhjrxU9BlqSZs9m2Eo
jqXuTtp2mc2LtIjCei54NqEuxyVcfE8emVH1Vrf6vCAvJmsAP/It/z7y0sKBXi2h
kUp04RtlBnzR9C8CTcKeslDr4wP/aoE31zOxGNtob3Pd09S+hhggvSKDIxy9yFMy
qkf4F66QOcDManvG2yyg4yCk6FfNnl2TGhPgpYRwSk8YhjeHvblNUJbsBN/JANDJ
tlrdV2jdWHUzOkZze6aFcoy3R3LBMuj1su8/n1JnxXzlFw21C+ETr4IcrdOAZFTx
RG+2kQVgSFq2l34JJQfz
=oBJ4
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
There is to be a referendum in Denmark on the Unified Patent Court,
which will be a single patent authority for European countries (I
believe some non-EU countries participate, while Italy and Spain have
declined)
http://www.euractiv.com/eu-elections-2014/danish-government-confirms-eu-re-…
The Danish free software/digital rights community as embodied e.g. in
It-Politisk Forening (http://www.itpol.dk, IT-Political Association of
Denmark) of which I am a member, is recommending a NO to the UPC.
This is because while software patents are (I believe) not allowed in
European patents, the European-level courts have adopted a far more
permissive stance than our local patent office, which means that
accepting the UPC will result in many more software patents being
enforceable in Denmark.
All political parties support the UPC and favour a YES at the
referendum, except the far-right Danish People's Party (DPP) and the
left-wing Enhedslisten (EL).
Whereas DPP oppose the UPC on grounds of national sovereignty, EL have
argued against giving large corporation an uncontrollable (by us in
Denmark, or people outside the EU bureacracy) monopoly on ideas to
large corporations. Interestingly, they have explicitly mentioned the
threat from software patents currently acknowledged on the European
level but not by our local system.
I've been invited to a meeting next Monday, and I think I will ad the
support of our local FSFE group on the "NO" side. The reasoning is,
once again: We do not want any software patents, and we believe this
unified patents may easily become a means for introducing software
patents on the European level.
On the other hand, a Danish "NO" might be a good starting for a
general campaign for a complete ban on software patents on the
European level.
I don't think I have links to a good analysis in English, but people
might try Google translating this one:
http://www.itpol.dk/notater/enhedspatent-og-softwarepatenter-erhvervsudvalg…
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://www.enigmail.net/
iEYEARECAAYFAlLYAiEACgkQletyW1YzdSHFnwCeLeUJoUomwKFOeUYI1XwD8mSF
MCsAnj5LbQy2coHOokTi0HCllMxtTWwK
=/Gys
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512
Hi all,
Maurice and I are working on some CryptoParty privacy/encryption
presentations (that also serve as online resources -- a CryptoParty
Handbook Lite if you will). They are available online [1]; the code
is on GitHub [2]; feedback is welcome.
- - Felix
[1] http://obfusk.github.io/keep-it-private
[2] https://github.com/obfusk/keep-it-private
- --
Felix C. Stegerman
vice-coordinator, dutch fellowship group of fsfe
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Icedove - http://www.enigmail.net/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=csPA
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Hi there,
maybe you followed the Compulsory Routers topic in Germany during the last
months [1] and even read my blog entry about the entanglements between
Compulsory Routers and the latest NSA leaks [2].
tl;dr:
Compulsory Routers are routers provided by Internet Service Providers which
cannot be replaced because of technical or legal barriers. This causes on the
one hand many problems with competition, technical innovation, and
compatibility, but on the other hand also great security risks for everyone of
us: If we and many others are forced to use one router model, ISPs create
monocultures which can be attacked more easily by miscreants and special tools
by intelligence agencies.
I know the situation in Germany pretty well because I worked on this issue.
But gaining some knowledge of the ISPs' regulations in other countries is
harder than I thought in the first place.
Could you please give me some insights if there are ISPs in your country with
Compulsory Router policies? Or maybe you want to share your thoughts about
this topic at all and the implications for Free Software users.
I'm looking forward to reading your replies!
Best,
Max
[1] https://blogs.fsfe.org/mk/status-of-compulsory-routers-in-germany/
[2]
http://blog.max-mehl.com/2014/why-free-choice-of-routers-is-an-unnegotiable…
- --
Max Mehl - Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) - fsfe.org
Schönhauser Allee 6/7, 10119, Berlin | Phone: +49-30-27595290
About me: http://fsfe.org/about/mehl | Blog: blog.max-mehl.com
Support us: http://fsfe.org/support | Homepage: max-mehl.com
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.15 (GNU/Linux)
iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJS1+S+AAoJEOxlXmdUnkHiYWUH/ia0JAi4Q2gAQBmavTGVFDDP
fiZaM9HHzcSEf1W3kpfuNpiFJxTqg9n6EyDfLIwrfMvK2GyOdh67K3UORx1EX5U4
Wu+KA13yNab1kz3mVfccX/QGAbb2jhCUnjXYbb71fFPy33jGLPjix1p331bbdpGc
4Gk390pMemyes6mcTX/+CMLQHvHjiEXFwBZECeflGWLXTVxCLuSG7nlmBdNgkiot
EB7CnztDMjNus0J4t/xdB8eDz7Ydh1C9Z0yHfwsHmqVmC79fjsrNiDh1eifxHUlP
ZneWQiueHJIqInmMk48CLHVdoDoMeZoneMvV/QnSr12nRJtuVkYNfH3qB7oilbs=
=6qoQ
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----