Dear list,
Imagine a European Union that builds its IT infrastructure on Free Software.
Imagine European Member States that exchange information in Open Standards and
share their software. Imagine municipalities and city councils that benefit
from decentralized and collaborative software under free licenses. Imagine no
European is any longer forced to use non-Free Software.
This is what we are seeking. And although this vision feels like a long road
to go, we know that we are taking major steps along it today. If you like to
inspire us on this journey, sent your submission to the first FSFE European
summit until May 29:
https://wiki.fsfe.org/Events/Summit2016/CallForParticipation
For any questions, do not hesitate to directly ask me. Forwarding this mail to
any interested people is encouraged.
Best regards,
Erik
--
FSFE summit - Call for Participation: https://fsfe.org/summit16
Save the date: September 2 - 4, 2016 - BCC Berlin, Germany
Hashtag: #FSFEsummit - Picture: http://polr.me/vfc
"In search of a home for Thunderbird"
https://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/686286/656f2620b9cf296a/
Unfortunately Mozilla is giving Thunderbird away.
Personally I'd be very happy, if they gave it to The Document Foundation.
Regards
-- egnun
Hello,
I have found an interesting article in the latest FT weekend (14-15
May 2016) titled "Does Facebook bend the trends that govern our news?"
I was able to open it with the link:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5c68e88e-18e6-11e6-bb7d-ee563a5a1cc1.html
But most of FT content is under paywall and it can happen that the
link is not functioning for all.
I think the content can be of interest for free software supporters:
Summary:
- There is a suspicion that FB manipulates "trending topics" which are
shown to the user in order to shape the political views of the users
(E.g.: http://gizmodo.com/former-facebook-workers-we-routinely-suppressed-conser-1…
)
- In fact, FB now acts as a "gatekeeper" ( See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatekeeping_%28communication%29 ) and
(contrary to traditional media) this function of FB is not supervised
by any organizations
- In traditional media, gatekeeper function is editor's
responsibility. In FB this is "algorithm"
- And the algorithm is proprietary.
Quotes:
- When TV was a new medium, it was dominated by public broadcasters
under the eye of regulators, who could watch what editors choose to
put on the evening news. But social media is unregulated and
proprietary algorithms are harder to understand.
- Raju Narisetti, senior vice-president of strategy at News Corp,
which owns newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, the Times and
the Sun, says publishers also have little insight into how Facebook’s
algorithm works or why certain stories appear where they do. “There is
opaqueness in the way choices seem to be made and when questioned the
fallback position is always: ‘it’s an algorithm and it decides on its
own’. That rings pretty hollow,” he says.
- Facebook has inserted itself into the relationship that publishers
used to have with readers, argues Ken Doctor of Newsonomics. “There
are going to be far fewer gatekeepers deciding what counts as news. In
the old days, those decisions were made by a variety of people working
at newspapers, radio and television stations,” he says.
--
WBR & WBW, Vitaly
Hello,
I produced a summary of a longer debate on the German discussion
list which addressed a lot of aspects that may be relevant to other
European countries. Please comment here on this list or per PM. The
text below is also available as a blog post [0].
The [1] trigger was a letter that a school kid brought home, informing
the parents that a Windows 10 device with MS Office 2013/2016 will be
made mandatory to participate in class.
As outrageous this sounds for Free Software supporters, I fear that
this is getting common practice throughout Europe and that most
parents accept it with a shrug. I’ll be happy for any feedback
dispelling or confirming this fear.
Is there a template letter to complain about it?
The original poster asked if there was template letter for such cases
that he could use to inform the school that this practice is not what
he expects from a public body.
Wouldn't it be nice to have such a template or maybe even a booklet of
templates? As English is most commonly understood in Europe, it would
be best to start with an English version and move on with
[2]translations into other languages. In fact, [3]creating a section
with sample letters has been on our wish list for years already! Feel
free to plunge in!
There are currently two versions of the draft: [4]one and [5]two, both
German. (By the way: the FSFE maintains a [6]public Etherpad you can
use for such cases.)
As the last post in the discussion so far, Max shared some brief
findings from the [7]European Free Software Policy Meeting in
Brussels, that it is difficult to “convince” in a letter. It is
important not to exaggerate and point out the benefits of the
recipient.
Advocating Free Software or demand our rights?
It was discussed whether the focus of the letter should be to convince
the school that Free Software is a great thing or rather that they are
obliged to leave the minority the right to keep using the systems of
their choice.
Some may argue that the majority is using Windows anyway and simply
won’t care. Does that entitle a public school to force those who do
care to give up their freedom and privacy?
Are we in such a weak position that we have to beg the institutions to
let us use Free Software or is there any legal ground where we can
claim the right to do so?
Use your right to participate!
Either way, we should make our voice heard more often. During the
course of the discussion, Michael encouraged parents to use their
right to participate in decision making processes in their kids’
schools. This process is highly regulated in Germany and what parents
can actually do is limited but still, they do have a say on school
matters. How is this done elsewhere in Europe?
Is this practice even legal?
Public schools force their students/pupils to use a certain operating
system with [8]known back doors, with a certain office suite using a
certain cloud software and various kinds of privacy issues, e.g.:
storing personal data in a different jurisdiction.
Is this practice legal? The answer seems to vary depending on which
federal state in Germany you look at. How is it in your area? Do you
know any rules or laws that would prohibit this kind of practice?
A while back in Switzerland, an [9]expert group recommended to use
Free Software after analysing Microsoft's offer called live@edu back
then due to privacy and lock-in concerns. Data protection law would
prohibit the data collection mentioned in the proposed contract.
Proposed analogies
To make the problem more transparent to the recipient of the letter,
it was proposed to ask: “What would you say if a teacher forced the
kids to come to the gym with a special model of sneakers?”
It was mentioned that a similar practice is accepted, and even the
default, when it comes to school books. The schools decide what books
will be used in class. Why should it be any different with Software?
“The Chains of Habit Are Too Light To Be Felt Until They Are Too
Heavy To Be Broken.”
[10]Source unknown, sometimes used by Warren
Buffet
I am grateful to Bernd who pointed out that these analogies are
missing a crucial aspect. What shoes I wear will not change the way I
run and I’ll be as fast with a similar pair of shoes as with the ones
I was asked to buy for class. A certain schoolbook will not change the
way I read nor change my ability to read or understand complex texts
in other books.
Software is fundamentally different. Using a certain software program
defines a certain work flow and way of thinking. Learning a certain
work flow and get effective with it takes time and effort (with any
software). Almost nobody has the motivation or resources to
constantly change the way to get a routine task done, especially not
if one is already comfortable with one. Just ask a vim user to use
emacs!
The program I use to do my homework will probably be the same I write
my first job applications with. And the file format will most likely
be the same as well as the place where I save them “in the cloud”.
Forcing pupils to use proprietary software, will push them into the
lock-in trap.
Equality of opportunity
or the widening “Rich-Poor Achievement Gap” may be another argument
against such practices. What burden may it be for a poor family to
purchase a computer that meets the requirements of Windows 10? They
have to buy that computer. There is no way around it. So, they will
have to relinquish something else like healthy food or family time as
they have to spend more time at work.
Bad publicity or positive campaigning
One thesis in the discussion was that only bad publicity will make the
school at hand reconsider their practice. FSFE usually tries to follow
a different approach. That doesn't mean we'd ignore bad news and don't
deal with them. The question is: [11]What will make people change
their view? I think it is much more sustainable if the people grasp
the idea and benefits of Free Software instead of just “being forced
to allow it”.
Point out the learning aspect of using Free Software
Geza suggested to mention the pedagogical angle as well. Free Software
offers diversity, allows to experiment and try out various
alternatives (different editors, programming languages, desktop
environments) and thus leads to a competent self determined and
responsible handling of the opportunities available.
Part of the problem is that teachers usually don't know anything else
than MS products themselves as they've been in the same
creature-of-habit cycle as they are about to push their students.
Sample lesson with OneNote
Bernd pointed us to a tutorial [12]video how OneNote can be used in
class and had to admit that it looks pretty impressive and that there
is probably no Free Software alternative which would allow a similar
work flow.
Bernd is missing an easy to use alternative. Without these
alternatives, it is difficult to object (object in the sense of
“successfully convince others”).
To create a [13]video that starts a thinking process has been on our
ToDo list for a while.
Wanted: Show case of Free Software solutions that are actually being
used
It was mentioned that with a list of programs, the same thing could be
achieved, but it is highly questionable if this zoo of different
applications will ever be used in class.
It is clear that a lot of good stuff can be done with Free Software,
but we need to show to the interested audience that it is practical as
well. We need you! Do you know somebody using Free Software in class
that is willing to create a presentation? Do you know presentations
that have been given before and were recorded (preferably under a free
licence)?
Are you aware of any educational institution that teaches on/about
Free Software?
Going-to-be teachers need to see what is possible with Free Software.
It needs to be proven that Free Software can deliver exactly what they
need.
Not necessarily what they think they need. It's not my goal to mimic
OneNote or other proprietary products. At the end, the work flow in
the tutorial wasn't that smooth either. DG said: “Pupils may not be
nerds but shouldn't be the school the place to learn how to use
digital tools creatively without having a company make a product out
of one particular use case? Until this isn't done in school – teaching
how to use digital tools meaningfully and creatively – the perception
that Free Software is only for nerds will stick.”
Looking forward to your contributions!
Guido
Visible links
0. http://blogs.fsfe.org/guido/2016/04/public-schools-making-ms-office-mandato…
1. http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-de/2015-December/007492.html
2. https://fsfe.org/contribute/translators/translators
3. https://action.fsfe.org/ticket/16
4. https://piratenpad.de/p/IGS-Sassenbug_-_Mobiles_lernen
5. https://piratenpad.de/p/IGS-Sassenbug_-_Mobiles_lernen_2
6. https://public.pad.fsfe.org/
7. https://fsfe.org/news/2016/news-20160205-01.en.html
8. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/insider_wintp-insider_secu…
9. https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/news/ch-school-it-agency-recommends-switching-o…
10. http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/07/13/chains-of-habit/
11. https://blogs.fsfe.org/jelle/2010/10/31/advocacy-doesnt-work-if-you-tell-so…
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECBOAOa7dxI
13. https://action.fsfe.org/ticket/19
--
Guido Arnold Free Software Foundation Europe
https://blogs.fsfe.org/guido [] Edu team & German team
OpenPGP Key-ID: 0x51628D75 [][][] Get active!
XMPP: guido(a)jabber.fsfe.org || https://fsfe.org
This was raised on the FSFE Manchester list:
http://www.travelspirit.io/manchester-conference-june-2016/
I had some discussion with the organizers, they intend to have some
panel discussions, including one on Personal Data/Cyber Security Issues
as they relate to mobility and transport services and they had asked if
I could join that.
It looks like a good publicity and networking opportunity, probably most
appropriate for somebody who is interested in the intersection of big
data, free/open source software and public transport/mobility services.
It would be good to see a voice there from somebody who has solid
understanding of software freedom principles and how using them properly
can address those challenges. I had looked at going up there myself but
I have a couple of other projects going on that make it hard for me to
give a definitive commitment.
I don't know if they have travel budget available, if anybody is
interested they would need to discuss with the organizers or maybe query
FSFE. There are various local free software groups, including FSFE
Manchester, Manchester Free Software and some groups at the university.
Having lived up there, I can highly recommend visiting Manchester and
for anybody who may go there from outside the UK, there are many direct
flights, you don't have to go via London.
Please contact Simon (on CC) if you would like more details.
Regards,
Daniel
Dear all,
in case you are interested, I have put FSFE's finanical results of 2015
online (like every year):
https://fsfe.org/about/funds/2015.html
Thanks,
--
Reinhard Müller * Financial Officer
* Free Software Foundation Europe *
https://emanuelfeld.github.io/blog/2016/04/27/government-github-ecosystem.h…
The government GitHub ecosystem
Apr 27, 2016
Emanuel Feld
Governments have been flocking to GitHub.
Their reasons are plenty: the promise of “private sector” tools, a
conviction that publicly-funded code should be public, the company’s
evangelism (and stickers), etc. Whatever the case, GitHub now hosts at
least 600 government organizations, with over 9,000 public repositories
between them.
I had a notion of the global ecosystem this activity has sprouted—the
players and their interactions—but wanted to back it up with data.
So, using GitHub’s API, I compiled a database of government GitHub
organizations, their repositories, members, and contributors and dove in.
Summary
Overall, reuse within the government GitHub “ecosystem” is uneven and
limited.
Nearly all popular repositories (inside and outside of government) were
created by US and UK national organizations. The bulk are standards or
frameworks. Modular products, like data.gov.uk’s CKAN extensions, also
seem relatively reusable.
Collaborative work and reuse is most concentrated within the large US
and UK national-level networks. This may point to the importance of
scale, “real world” interactions (e.g. talks, meet-ups, employees
switching between organizations), and the alignment of policy
priorities, timelines, licensing, and tech stacks.
14% of repositories have no further activity after being posted to
GitHub. 46% remain under development a year after they were created.
I didn’t find a license file for half of the repositories. At least 13%
use the MIT license. At least 8% use some version of the GPL. License
choice varies geographically.
Government GitHub organizations are bringing some new users to the
platform along with them. But 45% of the users predate the government
organizations they contribute to.
Estonia has the most government repositories per capita at 72.8 per
million residents (hover over and click to zoom in on the map up top).
[...]
The FSFE wiki has details about manually configuring[1] the Fellowship
smartcards.
I've started a wiki[2] and discussion in debian-devel[3] about using a
Debian Live CD to run a clean-room environment (without network) with a
whiptail-based UI (similar to Debian installer, etc) for managing the
lifecycle of master keys and smartcards. This would eliminate the need
to remember or look up command line instructions.
One use for such a Live CD is that it could be posted out to new fellows
so they can get started more quickly.
It would be interesting to get any feedback people have about the
workflow in the wiki[2].
Regards,
Daniel
1. http://wiki.fsfe.org/TechDocs/CardHowtos/CardWithSubkeysUsingBackups
2. https://wiki.debian.org/OpenPGP/CleanRoomLiveEnvironment
3. https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/571DD206.1070502@pocock.pro