Cyberspace, November 8, 2010—Linux hasn't got any Freer between the Linux-2.6.33-libre announcement, back in March, and the present announcement, that marks the release of Linux-2.6.36-libre. Linux now contains more non-Free Software, and more drivers in its Free core that require separately distributed non-Free Software to function.
Read more »Linux-2.6.36-libre: turning Linux's Free Bait into Free Software
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The Java Trap - The empire strikes back or the return of the Jedi?
After my controversial Droid post, it's time for me to strike back with another hot topic, namely the Java or C# trap for that matter.
The JVM and the .NET CLR are birds of the same feather and they kind of flock together; like it or not.
Most of the time when RMS makes his position clear concerning issues like this very early, everybody is like:
"Arrgh, ignore that old man ..."
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Keep Your Cloud, I'm a Customer Not a Consumer
The cloud hype is getting thicker and smellier every day. All the cloud excitement is coming from those who hope to profit from it, the vendors and breathless tech journalists who can't think of anything worthwhile to write about.
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The Freedom to Fork
One of the most controversial freedoms of free software is the right to simply take the code and go make your own competing project — what is popularly called a “fork”. It’s controversial but it is a critical freedom to have. This FSM article outlines the reasoning in a clear fashion and is complete with historical examples.
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Advocacy doesn’t work if you tell someone they’re wrong
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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Smalltalk way of life
One Smalltalk aspect still astonishing me after years of practicing is the joy it brings when it is time to track bugs.
...
My experience in developing both a C++ and Smalltalk version of Dr. Geo showed me you got a huge boost in productivity, which of course brings directly happiness while writing code and tracking bugs.
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Does “Open Core” Actually Differ from Proprietary Relicensing?
I've been criticized — quite a bit this week, but before that too — for using the term “Open Core” as a shortcut for the phrase “proprietary relicensing that harms software freedom”.
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Creative Commons launches Public Domain Mark
Today, Creative Commons announces the release of the Public Domain Mark, a tool that enables works free of known copyright restrictions to be labeled in a way that clearly communicates that status to the public, and allows the works to be easily discovered over the Internet.
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Cloud Computing: Is there a threat?
During the LinuxFestJo event last Saturday, I had a chat with Noha Salem, an Egyptian Googler, about Google's upcoming agenda and future plans for the IT industry. Everything she said was pretty interesting, until she reached the issue of cloud computing.
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Piracy and Free Software
This essay is a summary of my presentation at the workshop Inlaws and Outlaws, held on August 19-20, 2010 in Split, Croatia. The workshop brought together advocates of piracy with participants in the free culture and free software movements.
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The real cost of free
Last week, my fellow Guardian columnist Helienne Lindvall published a piece headlined The cost of free, in which she called it "ironic" that "advocates of free online content" (including me) "charge hefty fees to speak at events". […]
You see, the real mistake Lindvall made was in saying that I tell artists to give their work away for free. I do no such thing.
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On Feminism and Microcontrollers
Benjamin Mako Hill blogs about a sewable microcontroller called LilyPad Arduino by Leah Beuchley; how it's geared towards women; and reports on the extent of its adoption by women.
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Free Software Needs Free Tools
Over the last decade, free software developers have been repeatedly tempted by development tools that offer the ability to build free software more efficiently or powerfully.
Read more »Eben Moglen on the Commons of the digital economy
To orchestrate change you need someone who can balance vision with pragmatism. In Eben Moglen the proponents choreographing the software patents debate have such a leader.
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“Public Software”: a serious symptom of the crisis in the Free Software Social Movement
«'Public Software'? The so-called Public Software is a political project which aims to remove the Free Software main feature: the Freedom. It tries to put the people in the role of mere 'viewing public'.
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