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[Fsf-friends] "Microsoft seeking to bypass decisions of European Court" (fwd)
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 13 Feb '05

13 Feb '05

---------- Forwarded message ---------- FSFE: "Microsoft seeking to bypass decisions of European Court" "My local shop has a rule that they don't serve women. This is not discriminatory because the same rule applies to both males and females equally." Software giant Microsoft seems to behave similar to the shop owner after a decision of European Court. Spring last year, EU Commissioner Mario Monti imposed a penalty of nearly 500 million Euro on Microsoft, as well as some additional conditions. One of those conditions are the publication of so called software interfaces. Software interfaces determine how computers communicate with each other to exchange information. This information is important for several Free Software projects. One of these is SAMBA, which connects the UNIX and GNU/Linux world with Microsoft's operating system and works against the monopoly that Microsoft has established on the operating system market. Without access to the software interface information, SAMBA will have a hard time keeping up. Microsoft appealed against this decision in front of European Court of Justice and asked to suspend the decision until the proceeding has come to a final decision in possibly four years. European Court refused this suspension December last year. Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) supported the European Commission throughout this procedure. Officially Microsoft says it wants to cooperate with the Commission and to comply with the conditions. Microsoft has published an agreement which allows Free Software projects like SAMBA to use the software interface information, but bans it from publishing the software as Free Software. "That is not even complying with the wording of European Court's decision - not to mention its spirit!" Stefano Maffulli, Italian Chancellor of FSFE says. Microsoft requests a "Per User Royalty" from Free Software projects: "Obviously, while paying royalties is not impossible in principle as una-tantum, with Free Software nobody knows exactly how many copies use a certain program are circulating, as Free Software is allowed to be copied as often as necessary, freely.", Maffulli says. FSFE Lawyer Carlo Piana adds: "It seems that Microsoft has misunderstood the actual meaning of the decision. I cannot enter into details, but it has offered a license as though it would have to license its software, while all which is demanded is to release certain information as to the 'language spoken' by its applications." This is the same kind of information that any software company is entitled to acquire and use by reverse engineering, to produce an independent product or buy buying a license to standards like POSIX. Piana adds: "Moreover, the license offered only applies to the European Economic Area (but it is governed by the laws -- and put under the jurisdiction -- of the USA.) Not to say about the agreement requested for evaluating the licensed software, which is incredibly burdensome and only allows inspection for total 48 hours. According to Microsoft testimony, the inspected documentation would pile up 'tens of thousand pages', you can do the math! It took more than four hours to me just to study the contracts... And those who have inspected the information loose the possibility to work on the development of similar products for one year. We cannot even start a discussion on this basis." "We have communicated our concerns to the Commission and we are full of confidence that Brussels will bear them in mind: for European consumers it is a must that SAMBA and any other Free Software developer is allowed to publish Free Software on the basis of the given interface information. Secondly nothing else than a single payment is acceptable to us. And thirdly we have to take care that Microsoft does not try to protect its monopoly with software patents on these interface informations. It is really difficult to follow all the dodges they do", Maffulli says, "but FSFE will be awake to avoid Microsoft making paper tigers out of decisions of the European Court!" About the Free Software Foundation Europe: The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a charitable non-governmental organisation dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the Freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition- allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSFE. The FSFE was founded in 2001 as the European sister organisation of the Free Software Foundation in the United States. Further information: http://www.fsfeurope.org When you would like to receive our press releases regularly please subscribe to our mailinglist at http://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/press-release. Thank you very much for your interest. -- Joachim Jakobs <jj(a)office.fsfeurope.org> Press Speaker - FSF Europe (http://fsfeurope.org) Heinrich-Heine-Str. 3, D-67134 Birkenheide (Tel: +49-179-6919565) _______________________________________________ Press-release mailing list Press-release(a)fsfeurope.org https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/press-release

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Re: Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 22, Issue 13
by Amachu 12 Feb '05

12 Feb '05

hi, gr8 to read about phoenix.. On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 22:32:32 -0800 (PST), fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in <fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in> wrote: > Send Fsf-friends mailing list submissions to > fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > fsf-friends-request(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > You can reach the person managing the list at > fsf-friends-owner(a)mm.gnu.org.in > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Fsf-friends digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: [Fsf-friends] Fwd:[mramadoss@techserve.co.in: Can u guide > to a GNU laptop] (Nagarjuna G.) > 2. Re: Fwd: [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u guide to a GNU > laptop] (Mahesh T. Pai) > 3. GNU sticker (was) Fwd: [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u > guide to a GNU laptop] (Joe Steeve) > 4. Re: GNU sticker (Anand Babu) > 5. Re: [Fsf-friends] Fwd:[mramadoss@techserve.co.in: Can u guide > to a GNU laptop] (Nagarjuna G.) > 6. Re: Fwd: [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u guide to a GNU > laptop] (Joe Steeve) > 7. Re: An interesting site (Nagarjuna G.) > 8. Re: Fwd: [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u guide to a GNU > laptop] (Raj Mathur) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 20:08:19 +0530 > From: "Nagarjuna G." <nagarjun(a)gnowledge.org> > Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Fwd:[mramadoss@techserve.co.in: Can u guide > to a GNU laptop] > To: fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > Cc: Anand Babu <ab(a)gnu.org.in> > Message-ID: <200502112008.19509.nagarjun(a)gnowledge.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > On Thursday 10 Feb 2005 11:10 pm, Anand Babu wrote: > > IBM ThinkPads are the most Free Software compatible ones. > > I recommend IBM T21to T23 on the lower end and IBM T40 to T43 > > on the higher end. IBM X40 is sleek, light weight, 8 hrs battery > but > > costly. > > > > FSF-US gives IBM Thinkpads for FSF Sys Admins. > > do the internal modems in them also work? > > Nagarjuna > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 00:39:21 +0530 > From: "Mahesh T. Pai" <paivakil(a)sancharnet.in> > Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Fwd: [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u > guide to a GNU laptop] > To: fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in > Message-ID: <20050211190920.GB4424(a)nandini.home> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Nagarjuna G. said on Fri, Feb 11, 2005 at 08:08:19PM +0530,: > > > do the internal modems in them also work? > > Ought to. There is the mwave module. Though it is a binary module, it > is undet the GPL, and is in the official kernel tree. > > Errr ... afaik, RMS is using an IBM thinkpad. > > -- > Mahesh T. Pai <<>> http://paivakil.port5.com > ~/\$ mv -vfi linux gnu/linux > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 01:59:25 +0530 > From: Joe Steeve <joe_steeve(a)gmx.net> > Subject: [Fsf-friends] GNU sticker (was) Fwd: > [mramadoss(a)techserve.co.in: Can u guide to a GNU laptop] > To: Principal Support List of FSF-India <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> > Message-ID: <87braqvo0q.fsf_-_(a)deck8.enterprise> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Anand Babu <ab(a)gnu.org.in> writes: > > ... > > AB: Where do I get the `GNU` sticker you had on your laptop., I > thought the stickers RMS promised where like the ones you had., > but they seem to be different. > > -- > .O. A proud GNU user > ..O http://www.joesteeve.tk/ > OOO http://joe.bsdnerds.org/ >

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An interesting site
by Praveen A 12 Feb '05

12 Feb '05

PHOENIX Physics with Homemade Equipments & Innovative Experiments Phoenix is a cost effective, fast and sensitive general purpose interface to do science experiments using a PC. The objective is to make science experiments more interesting and meaningful by employing methods and tools similar to the ones used in research labs. The hardware provides Analog and Digital Input/Output channels, Signal generators, Motor controls and Amplifiers. Parameters like velocity, temperature etc. can be digitized and measured with microsecond timing accuracy. The interface circuitry is packaged inside a small box with front panel connector sockets and connected to the parallel port of the PC. http://www.nsc.res.in/~elab/phoenix/ Regards Praveen A -- A proud GNU user http://www.gnu.org http://www.edathanattukara.com My Weblog at http://www.livejournal.com/users/pravi Visit me at http://www.pravi.tk Rediscover the web ! Get firefox at http://www.getfirefox.com Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html

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Backlash for Micro$oft
by CK Raju 11 Feb '05

11 Feb '05

"Mr. Basheer said the leadership Kerala State Teachers' Association (KSTA) had initially fully endorsed the Government decision to hold the examination using Microsoft software, but had later backtracked on its word. The Government is ready to use Linux from the coming year. But it is too late to attempt anything of the kind at this point of time." (Full story at http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/09/stories/2005020904990500.htm ) Micro$oft is getting a new taste of treatment from the teaching community in this well bounded territory. This time the 'holy nexus' is getting more clearly exposed. Very soon the $oft Inc will get a matching response from the local bodies of the State. IKM, pls watch out - your own partymen will catch you by your neck. CK Raju _____________________________________________________________ LinuxTimes.Net --> Open Source to everyone.

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IT's foot soldier (Jaromil in India)
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 10 Feb '05

10 Feb '05

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/02/08/stories/2005020800950400.htm IT's foot soldier Denis Jaromil is unusual. His possessions: a backpack and a laptop. He writes software, distributes it free, and allows others to edit and sell it too [2005020800950401.jpg] Denis Jaromil Rojo: `Free software is a good way to not depend on foreign companies.' -- Photo: Murali Kumar K. DENIS `JAROMIL' Rojo is as unconventional as one can get. He is an artist (multi-faceted); free software programmer, a Rastafarian, a social worker, and is a squatter on a vacant plot in Amsterdam. And his ideas are radical. An Italian, Jaromil is a member of the fast-growing tribe that believes the future belongs to free software. He is in India right now to convince NGOs to use free software instead of spending public money to make multinational corporations rich. "Today, every operating system comes with a free music player; but to produce music, you must buy a producer. This is a consumerist approach that tries to shape society. So, I produce software that is free and comes with producers and players. Free software is a good way to not depend on foreign companies. In NGO work especially, public money can be invested in free software that will contribute to generate local employment," he argues. Jaromil himself was a victim of big-eat-small when his family's small computer shop in Pescara, Italy, went bankrupt due to stiff competition from multinational chains. "I have been working with computers since I was 12 years old. When our shop closed down, I tried to do some programming myself. But compilers and source codes were too expensive. That's when my friend introduced me to GNU/Linux (free software) and I have been hooked ever since. I realised that I could study freely," he says. He has even gone on to release his own version of GNU/Linux called Dynebolic which features advanced audio and video editing tools, and is completely free. "The beauty of free software is that you can edit it, copy it, and even sell it, and the only thing you need to do is give credit to the developers who have put in work before you," he says. Programming is not the only thing Jaromil does. He has studied Communication Sciences and Journalism, and earns his living as an Artist in Residence at the National Institute for Media Art, Amsterdam. He is a member of [23]www.net-art.org, a web-based issue portal, and a founding member of Olografix.org, an NGO that teaches people how to use informatics better. "I keep swinging between programming and social issues. I develop my software under the name Rastasoft because I'm a Rastafarian and I want people to use my software free of cost. People must exchange data freely over a network and also be able to edit source codes. My most memorable experience is when I wrote about Palestinian culture without mentioning war even once. I travelled across the territory documenting everything that was not war," he says. And why does he squat? "My only possessions in my life are my backpack, the old laptop and the clothes that I wear. Dutch law says if a place is free for a year or more you can occupy it. It is a basic human right. Plus the owner doesn't have to pay taxes if people are squatting on his property. And when you squat, you meet different people. Cultures mix. Our group of squatters runs an organisation called ASCII that recycles old computers that the local community can use," adds Jaromil, who has very strong political views on everything from war to software. He is especially severe on Richard Stallman, the founder of GNU. "Richard Stallman is a capitalist. He is a very good friend of mine but doesn't take a clear position," he argues. But the big question remains. Can free software offer Indian programmers the same kind of pay that global companies are now able to offer? "Yes. Probably not a lot of money, but sufficient. But most important thing is that the money stays in the community. You build software that serves your needs and you fix the problems yourself. Local people solve local problems. Indian engineers are immensely talented. Instead of contributing to some corporation in North America, they can contribute to their local needs," he says. And as a final note of caution, he adds: "We need to be careful because people are playing nasty tricks on free programmers. We are even being infiltrated by people sponsored by the (global) companies. But whatever free software is the future." For more information on Dynebolic visit [24]www.dyne.org and for any queries on free software email [25]jaromil at dyne.org ANAND SANKAR ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick Noronha (FN) Nr Convent Saligao 403511 GoaIndia Freelance Journalist P: 832-2409490 M: 9822122436 http://fn.swiki.net http://fn-floss.notlong.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lies your vocation. --Aristotle

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[COMMERCIAL] LFY Feb 2005: Mandrakelinux 10.1 C, Free BSD, Ubuntu, OO.o 2.0 beta
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 09 Feb '05

09 Feb '05

Want to keep abrest with GNU/Linux issues? LFY-February 2004 issue costing Rs 125 (for LFY and LFYPro with one CD and one DVD) has the following software: ON THE LFY DVD: * Mandrakelinux 10.1 Community * Free BSD 5.2.1 * Ubuntu Linux * Systemrescuedisk ON THE LFY CD: * MPlayer * OpenOffice 2.0 Beta * Opera 7.54 * Xfce * Fedora Updates: Kernel 2.6.9, MySQL 3.23, OpenOffice.org-1.1.2.11.5, php-4.3.10.3.2 Postfix-2.1.5-2.4, System-config-services-0.8.17.0 Some articles in this issue: * Personalise Your Desktop (Page 18) * Boost OpenOffice with Macros (22) * Bost Your Linux Engine (24) * AMaViS: A Mail Virus Scanner (26) * Computers that Converse in Indian Languages (38) * Looking Back at 2004 (45) * The Business of Open Source (29) * Software Patents, Jewels for the Rich (34) * Education Goes Open (54) * A Giant LEAP for Linux (58). In the LinuxForYou Pro: * Database Management Using MySQL (part II, 12) * Remastering Knoppix 3.3 Create Your Own Live CD (48) * Hack a Microcontrollers with GNU/Linux (04), The Importance of Exception Handling (10) * Failover Clustering (15) * Multi-threading Programming in Python (20) * PXES Universal Thin Client (24) * Get on the D-BUS (35) * Subversion Organising the Unorganised (38) * Java Refactoring with Eclipse Part I (45) * Software RAID Part IV (52). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick Noronha (FN) Nr Convent Saligao 403511 GoaIndia Freelance Journalist P: 832-2409490 M: 9822122436 http://fn.swiki.net http://fn-floss.notlong.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lies your vocation. --Aristotle

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Mrudulayudhangal (Malayalam)
by dileep＠gmx.net 09 Feb '05

09 Feb '05

Friends, An article "Mrudulayudhangal" (Malayalam), briefing the history and philosophy of free software, by Sri. Jagadees S. can be downloaded from FSUG-Kochi. URL: http://puggy.symonds.net/~fsug-kochi/downloads/mrudulayudhangal.tar.gz Regards -- Dileep M. Kumar -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

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Reg. OpenSolaris
by Joe Steeve 08 Feb '05

08 Feb '05

This was like good news., but I saw the licensing was an OSI approved license. I tried reading that license., and since I'm not a lawyer and dont understant that terminology very well, I dont grasp anything out of it. Can someone on the list who understood that tell me what the major points are., and the difference from the GNU GPL. -- .O. A proud GNU user ..O http://www.joesteeve.tk/ OOO http://joe.bsdnerds.org/

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Pune Symbiosis' GNUnify draws big names
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 07 Feb '05

07 Feb '05

Pune Symbiosis' GNUnify draws big names http://www.linux-india.org/index.pl?id=3496&isa=Newsitem&op=show Brian Behlendorf of Apache will be taking part in the Pune GNUnify event, organisers announced. So will some other big names, include MySQL founder David Axmark. This year's event will focus on localisation projects, PHP5, Python, MySQL and more. There's an awareness-building exercise for school students and teachers on the first day of the event (Feb 13, 2005) followed by an installfest and more. Organisers announced today (February 7, 2005) that they were to have Apache co-founder Brian Behlendorf taking part in the event. (Apache HTTP Server is an open source HTTP web server for Unix platforms -- BSD, Linux, and UNIX systems -- and Microsoft Windows, and other platforms. Apache features highly configurable error messages, DBMS-based authentication databases, and content negotiation, it is also supported by several GUIs which permit easier, more intuitive configuration of the server. See http://gui.apache.org/ The Apache HTTP Server is developed and maintained by an open community of developers under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation.) In addition, they are to have Robert Adkins and Ms Alolita Sharma from Technetra, California, Ms Danese Cooper from Sun MicroSystems, MySQL founder David Axmark, and others join their event. (MySQL is a multithreaded, multi-user, SQL (Structured Query Language) relational database server or RDBMS. MySQL is available either under the GNU General Public License or under other licenses when the GPL is inapplicable to the intended use. Unlike projects such as Apache, MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB.) This year's event will focus on localisation projects, PHP5, Python, MySQL The Commercial FOSS Database, and more. Visit http://gunify.sicsr.ac.in for details or contact gnunify(a)symbiosiscomputers.com GNUnify is being organised by students of the Masters of Science in Computer Applications -- MSc(CA) degree programme -- of the Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research. SICSR was set up in 1985, and offers several full-time and part-time courses. Each year, they organise this Free/Open Source Software Event. GNUnify aims at "contributing and encouraging the use of FOSS", said a release from the organisers. "Initiated in the year 2003, 'GNUnify' is a forum to unite open minds. The event aims at spreading teh philosophy of GNU/Linux -- unifying and strengthening the use of FLOSS," they said. Student-organisers said they were successful over the past two years, and had made this three-day event happen from February 13 to 15 this year. Event schedule for this year is as follows: Feb 13 Linux Eduvantage -- awareness for school students and teachers Feb 14 Install fest, techie talks, workshops and tutorials Feb 15 Seminars, panel discussion. See the story at: http://gunify.sicsr.ac.in ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Frederick Noronha 784 Near Convent, Sonarbhat SALIGAO GOA India Freelance Journalist TEL: +91-832-2409490 MOBILE: 9822122436 http://fn.swiki.net http://www.livejournal.com/users/goalinks fred at bytesforall.org http://www.bytesforall.org ************************************************************************* ILUG-Goa's other mailing lists ************************************************************************* http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa-announce LOW-VOLUME, ANNOUNCE LIST http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teach-yourself-linux FOR NEWBIES http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linuxgoahelp TECH HELP LIST WEBSITES: http://ilug-goa.swiki.net http://www.ilug-margao.org *************************************************************************

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Re: [Fsf-friends] Events, jobs, etc on linux-india.org
by CK Raju 06 Feb '05

06 Feb '05

Hi Raju, Where's RMS ? If I am correct, only Kairali TV has given some sort of coverage. Aren't there any plans to cover events ? CK Raju Thrissur --- Raj Mathur <raju(a)linux-delhi.org> wrote: From: Raj Mathur <raju(a)linux-delhi.org> Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 13:08:44 +0530 To: ilugd(a)lists.linux-delhi.org, linux-india-help(a)lists.sourceforge.net, linux-india-general(a)lists.sourceforge.net, fsf-friends <fsf-friends(a)mm.gnu.org.in> Subject: [Fsf-friends] Events, jobs, etc on linux-india.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 _____________________________________________________________ LinuxTimes.Net --> Open Source to everyone.

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