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Free Software: Candle in the Dark

http://blogs.fsfe.org

We live in turbulent times, that’s for sure and the financial crisis is the one to blame. There is a very difficult situation in my country these days and lately there is much anger and discord among people. The Free Software Community is a part of the society, so it is affected by these phenomena. Many people don’t realize one thing.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 1 week ago – Made popular 11 years 1 week ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:
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Have Oracle just made it worse for everyone?

http://ur1.ca

I guess everybody has heard that a majority of the key developers in the OpenOffice.org community decided to set up the Document Foundation: an independent foundation to continue and manage work on the Openoffice.org codebase. If you’ve not, then I can recommend Terry Hancock’s piece as a starting point (and a good summary of why forking is vital).

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Created by stargrave 11 years 28 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 28 weeks ago
Category: Community   Tags:
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Advocacy doesn’t work if you tell someone they’re wrong

http://blogs.fsfe.org

Generally it isn’t a good idea to offend someone you’re trying to convince. This is sounding almost too obvious, but offending someone we are trying to get to free software is a tactic we often use unconsciously. Instead of getting your point across it will likely lead the other to strengthen or adopt a contrary believe.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 29 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 29 weeks ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:
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Killed by Code: software transparency in implantable medical devices

http://www.softwarefreedom.org

Software is an integral component of a range of devices that perform critical, lifesaving functions and basic daily tasks. As patients grow more reliant on computerized devices, the dependability of software is a life-or-death issue.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 43 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 43 weeks ago
Category: Industry   Tags:
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GOLEMs are better than "Intellectual Property" -- Passing criticism on "IP"

http://blogs.fsfe.org

Have you ever heard someone saying "Intellectual Property is a dumb term, please do not use it" in the parliament? Well it happened in the German Bundestag: Prof. Dr. Thomas Hoeren said it during the internet enquote this week.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 46 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 46 weeks ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:
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Abolish software patents

http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk

Software patent law must be simplified if not completely abolished. The concept that a routine or function is somehow "intellectual property" is ridiculous. How many times have you had an idea and found out someone else had the same idea? Patents were designed to prevent stealing of ideas but two independent people creating the same idea are not stealing from each other.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 46 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 46 weeks ago
Category: Legal   Tags:
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Software patents after Bilski

http://www.fsf.org

Bilski gave us a wonderful opportunity to increase awareness to the harm caused by software patents. More scholars, more developers, more journalists, more politicians, and more patent attorneys than ever before have heard from our community on this issue. What's next?

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Created by stargrave 11 years 47 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 47 weeks ago
Category: Community   Tags:
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"Gno" and "Gyes" campaigns - about positive Free Software campaigning

http://blogs.fsfe.org

Joe Brockmeier argues in his article that positive campaigning is much more successful in reaching more people, than negative campaigning. He especially criticise the FSF for its "Defective by Design" and "Windows 7 sins" campaigns. I fully agree with Joe's point that it is important to do positive campaigning. This is especially true in Europe.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 48 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 48 weeks ago
Category: Community   Tags:
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Microsoft is a weak link in national security

http://arstechnica.com

Microsoft has vast resources, literally billions of dollars in cash, or liquid assets reserves. Microsoft is an incredibly successful empire built on the premise of market dominance with low-quality goods.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 49 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 49 weeks ago
Category: Government   Tags:
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Proprietary technology is a waste of money

http://blogs.fsfe.org

The first time that the European Commission's vice president talked about the Digital Agenda which was recently published. Neelie Kroes speech was the first time that she talked about the Digital Agenda in public, and she provided quite a bit of interpretation.

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Created by stargrave 11 years 49 weeks ago – Made popular 11 years 49 weeks ago
Category: Community   Tags:
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Open standards and interoperability -- two cheers for EU ICT ministers

http://blogs.fsfe.org

The EU's member states have just thrown their weight behind the principles of Open Standards and interoperability. At a meeting of the ministers for telecommunication and information society in Granada, Spain, the ministers of the 27 EU member states yesterday issued the Granada Ministerial Declaration on the European Digital Agenda.

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Created by stargrave 12 years 5 weeks ago – Made popular 12 years 5 weeks ago
Category: Government   Tags:
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How software patents broke the system

http://patentabsurdity.com

Patent Absurdity explores the case of software patents and the history of judicial activism that led to their rise, and the harm being done to software developers and the wider economy. The film is based on a series of interviews conducted during the Supreme Court's review of in re Bilski — a case that could have profound implications for the patenting of software.

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Created by stargrave 12 years 5 weeks ago – Made popular 12 years 5 weeks ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:
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Will ACTA end the purchase of foreign titles by libraries?

http://blog.librarylaw.com

With the release of leaked versions of the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, opposition to the drafting process continues to grow.

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Created by stargrave 12 years 6 weeks ago – Made popular 12 years 6 weeks ago
Category: Legal   Tags:
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Academia's obligation to software freedom

http://blog.thesilentnumber.me

The Free Software philosophy is founded in the ideals of freedom, openness, and sharing. Educational institutions support the same ideals within academic freedom and the open dissemination of knowledge and information common in academia.

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Created by stargrave 12 years 7 weeks ago – Made popular 12 years 7 weeks ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:
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Non-free software hidden in your GNU/Linux distribution

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com

Most people with an interest in software freedom will turn to GNU/Linux as their operating system of choice. Few realize however, that the vast majority of GNU/Linux distros are not entirely free. Imagine migrating away from Windows, only to find that by installing GNU/Linux you are accepting a restrictive Microsoft license!

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Created by stargrave 12 years 7 weeks ago – Made popular 12 years 7 weeks ago
Category: Philosophy   Tags:

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