Re: [Patents] Re: [hangout] *ASTOUNDING* Statement by Peruvian Congressman on Free Software in the Government

[<xdrudis@tinet.org>]

I'm not quite sure this thread is on topic on 
the patents@aful.org list, but since it goes on, 
I thought I'd just share a piece of news with you. 

Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya is the 3rd largest 
political party in Catalonia, and recently presented
a law draft proposal to require the Catalan government 
to use preferently free software. They're quite focused 
in the ability to translate it to our language, which 
propietary software vendors do little and bad. It is not
so sound and well rooted in philosophy as the Peruvian 
counterpart but it is something, and it cold hopefully 
improve. 

They're willing to get feedback, and Caliu (a Catalan speaking LUG) 
has already sent them other initiatives, including that in Peru. 

So, for those of you who can read Catalan, the draft is at:

http://www.esquerra.org/programarilliure.html

I'm not paying much attention to it right now, because I try to 
concentrate on swpats, but I can put you in touch with people 
at Caliu who are looking at it, in case you want to talk about it. 

On unrelated news, Extremadura is also pushing gnu/linux, 
and the socialist party in Madrid seems to care too. I think 
there is a raising tide of awareness and the challenge is now
to provide good advice (not everyone is so well informed as 
Villanueva Nuñez)