Right now I'm trying to just affect NY and I'm not a big fan ofIt is certainly true that Peru has had...how should one politely say...a history of governmental difficulties. Yes, I fully agree, one should effect where one can, and especially where one lives.
Peru in any event.
Yes, and in fact, someone from Scandanavia had written me explaining that is precisely what they are also doing with it in their part of the world.
However, I think the letter is best a foundation for agressively fighting MS FUD, which I'm puzzled about in any event.
This may well be true. There is mixed views on this. It would be unfortunate if one were to mis-define Free Software as a phenomena in response to Microsoft rather than as a response to the damage commercially distributed proprietary software does to people's rights. In this sense, there is also a danger in that by responding incorrectly to Microsoft's anti-free software pr campaign we could allow ourselves to be defined in this way. When considering any such responses, we need to be mindful of these things.
When MS attacks the GPL as being anti-intellectual property, I think they
holding out
the chair and giving a HUGE oppurtunity to get Press on the issue. I think
we're blowing
a huge oppurtunity.
Fair use puts the context of the debate in a manner that is very much worth discussing, whether one speaks of Free Software specifically, or other areas where fundimental liberties are threatened by the current misuse of copyright law. I personally think fair use is a good place to direct such efforts. I believe that the FSF, as a single organization, cannot do all things they may even wish to, and so, speaking for my own opinion, I understand that they no doubt choose primarily to concentrate on issues directly related to software freedom where they can with what resources they have rather than to address the broader context you speak of here.
On another front, IMO, the most important thing that we can all be doing politically at this point, is getting the Fair Use Bill we are currently preparing passed. If I had my way, it would be
the dominant focal point of FSF, NYFAIRUSE, and the US of A.
Ruben
On 2002.05.06 14:26 David Sugar wrote:
There are a number of excellant points elequently made in this letter, and I am sure different people will find different parts that stand out. One of my own favorite parts started out by stating how Peru, as a sovereign nation, certainly has the right to set terms and conditions for purchase for goods and services and doing so is not at all descriminatory since any supplier is free to provide software under those terms.
One thing that might be helpful would be if a written English (and other languages) translation of the proposed law itself could be provided. I had this law orally translated to me and I have established in my own mind what parts appear to say and mean, but having a good written translation would be useful for those of us who are language disadvanteged and perhaps could also help in using it as a model for drafting similar laws in other parts of the world.
David
Seth Johnson wrote:
Yes, David. That would be great!
Below your message, I've posted two comments from the
Patent@aful list, from Nick Fleming and Alexandre Courbot,
who calls the letter "the perfect anti-FUD."
Seth Johnson
-------- Original Message --------
Date: Sun, 05 May 2002 19:11:59 +0000
From: "David Sugar" <dyfet@ostel.com>
I am actually very familiar with this, and I would be happy
to explain some of the background about what is going on in
Peru and other Latin American countries and free software
when I return to the states tomorrow. I may be visiting
peru to speak before their parliment in early July.
David
-------- Original Message --------
From: "Nick Fleming" <Nick@bigfatpanda.fsnet.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 13:59:48 +0100
To: <patents@aful.org>
My favorite bit :
"To guarantee the permanence of public data, it is necessary
that the usability and maintenance of the software does not
depend on the goodwill of the suppliers, or on the monopoly
conditions imposed by them. For this reason the State needs
systems the development of which can be guaranteed due to
the availability of the source code. "
An amazing letter - I'm having trouble believing its genuine
- seems too good to be true. No way can a congressman be so
well informed about software development surely ?
-------- Original Message --------
Date: 05 May 2002 16:36:22 +0200
From: Alexandre Courbot <alexandrecourbot@linuxgames.com>
To: Seth Johnson <seth.johnson@RealMeasures.dyndns.org>
Outstanding, right. This document is a perfect anti-fud. But
I find the URL weird: the IP adress is the one of Google,
and when trying to directly access
www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html, I get redirected to the Google
cache page. Can we be SURE this isn't fake? (it's just too
good to be true... :))
Well, anyway - I really enjoyed reading this doc. At least,
once we lost all our freedoms here in Europe and in the US,
we could ask for Peruvian nationality.
____________________________
New Yorker Linux Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
____________________________
New Yorker Linux Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
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