[school-discuss] Re: [seul-edu] Software Freedom Season

["Richard Smedley" <richard.smedley@futurenet.co.uk>]

"Douglas S. Blank" wrote:
> 
> After some discussion and many good ideas, here is a proposal for a Software
> Freedom Day, Software Freedom Season, and list of resources.  First, the
> facts, followed by a description.
> 
> What: Software Freedom Day
> Why: Kickoff of Software Freedom Season
> When: March 4th, annually
> More info: http://emergent.brynmawr.edu/wiki/?SoftwareFreedom
> 

Sounds a good idea
 
> This day and season are meant to be an annual, international celebration of
> free software sometimes referred to as open source software.


If Free Software is sometimes referred to as 'open source 
software' then this is simply incorrect :-(

Free Software is software that one is /free/ to share,
copy, dismantle, improve and pass on ones improvements
for the benefit of the community (a large community, as over
half the world is directly dependent upon software =o)
Of course access to source code is a necessary precondition
for these freedoms.

However Open Source merely means that one has access to
the source - it suggests no freedoms of use. This is why
a number of large suppliers of software (such as Microsoft)
have been happy to join the 'open source movement', and
make available some of their code :-/
Naturally freedom is not mentioned  :-(

It would be helpful in promoting Free Software to emphasise
the freedom, and to differentiate it from possible technical
advantages of access to source (with no freedoms)



> This season is
> meant to be a time of outreach to show what can be accomplished by the
> spirit of the programming community. But this season
> is also a time to celebrate this spirit, and recognize our friends in this
> endeavor.
> 
> Why March 4th? Any day of the Software Freedom Season would do (which means
> and day of the year). But, as Jim Thomas suggested, this day cries out to
> march forth in celebration of Software Freedom :)

:-)


> 
> Organizations
> 
> The following are links to organizations related to the Freedom of Software.

Pleny of non-American orgs to add.
Perhaps have an international list, followed by regional lists?

- Richard


-- 

Richard Smedley
Production Editor, Linux Format

Join us at LinuxExpo UK - 9-10 October 2002 - Olympia2, 
   London - http://www.linuxexpouk.co.uk

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