= FSFE launches Campaign For A Free Android System =
[Read online: http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120228-01.html ]
Smartphones have a privacy problem. This is one of the reasons why the
Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is launching its"Free Your
Android!" campaign[1] today.
"Users deserve to have full control over their mobile devices", says
Torsten Grote, FSFE member and initiator of the campaign. "If your phone
runs Free Software, you're in charge. If it runs proprietary software,
you're handing control of your digital life to manufacturers and app
developers."
The lack of software freedom on smartphones and tablets is becoming
increasingly problematic. Many apps spy on their users without their
knowledge[2] (Carrier IQ) and transmit personal data such as address
books on the iPhone[3]. Other devices are completely locked down,
prevent users from uninstalling certain apps, or just do not receive
updates. "Free Your Android!" promotes versions of Android optimised for
user control, and an alternative market that only provides free-as-in-
freedom apps[4]. It also invites people to contribute to various
initiatives and to identify essential apps that still have no free
alternatives.
"The Android operating system may be mostly free, but many applications
are not", says Karsten Gerloff, FSFE's President. "Mobile devices
contain lots of data about our lives. With this campaign, we will not
only build awareness of how much privacy and freedom matter for
smartphones and tablets, we will also give users the means to make their
own devices better."
The Free Your Android campaign encourages people to get in touch with
developers of useful proprietary apps. Often these apps are distributed
free of charge, but not under a free licence. Responses and objections
by developers are collected and analysed in a wiki[5].
Currently the FSF, and the German privacy organisation FoeBuB e.V. are
working with FSFE in an effort to improve the conditions for software
freedom and privacy in the mobile space. FSFE is looking forward to
other organisations joining the campaign.
1. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/android/android.en.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_IQ
3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/15/apple-iphone-address-book-…
4. http://f-droid.org/
5. http://wiki.fsfe.org/Android
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, 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.
http://fsfe.org/
Contact: Torsten Grote, Free Software Foundation Europe,
Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290, m +49-173-6319870
=== Nortel/Rockstar, Google/Motorola deals create balance of terror on
software patents===
[Read Online: http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120214.01.en.html]
On Monday, the US Department of Justice approved the sale of Nortel's
patent portfolio to a consortium led by Apple and Microsoft. At the same
time, the DOJ and the European Commission allowed Google to buy Motorola
Mobility, thus giving the search company a sizable patent portfolio.
"We appreciate that competition authorities in the US and Europe
continue to take software patents seriously as a risk to competition,"
says Karsten Gerloff, President of the Free Software Foundation Europe.
"However, we believe that the commitments made by Google, Microsoft and
Apple regarding their patent licensing policies are not sufficient to
allow everyone to compete on equal terms."
The terms of those commitments do nothing to ensure that the software
patents in the portfolios in question can be implemented in Free Software.
While Microsoft has said that it will not seek injunctions against
companies using its standard-essential patents, this policy merely
restates the commitments Microsoft has already made to standards
organisations. Microsoft will only license its patents on so-called
"RAND" terms (short for "reasonable and non-discriminatory"). These
typically require the company that implements the patents to pay a
licensing fee per unit.
Despite their name, such conditions are largely incompatible with Free
Software based on Open Standards [1], standards which can be implemented
by anyone in any business or software model. This means that Microsoft
remains free to use its patents to block or harm some of its most
important Free Software competitors, such as the GNU/Linux operating
system and the LibreOffice productivity suite.
"By greenlighting both the Google and Nortel transactions, the DOJ has
merely created a balance of terror where patents are concerned," says
Gerloff. "Small companies and individual software developers don't have
the deep pockets required to play the patent litigation game. They will
suffer as a result of this deal, along with the shareholders of Google,
Microsoft and Apple. When elephants dance, the smaller wildlife gets
crushed."
FSFE submitted a comprehensive statement of concern to the US Department
of Justice in September 2011. [2]
Links:
[1] http://fsfe.org/projects/os/def.html
[2] http://fsfe.org/projects/swpat/nortel.en.html
== Contact: ==
Karsten Gerloff
President of the Free Software Foundation Europe
E-Mail: gerloff AT fsfe DOT org
Phone: +49 176 9690 4298
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, 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.
http://fsfe.org/
= FSFE's goal for February 14th: More love reports than bug reports! =
[Read online: http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120209-01.html ]
Free Software Foundation Europe asks all Free Software users to show
their love to Free Software on February 14th.
"Let's be honest: In the Free Software community, we exchange a lot of
criticism. We write bug reports, tell others how they can improve the
software, ask them for new features, and generally are not shy about
criticising others. Sometimes we forget to say "thank you, for all your
work". As in the last years, we want to change this, at least for one
day. So on Tuesday the 14th of February we will celebrate the "I love
Free Software"-Day (http://ilovefs.org), says Matthias Kirschner, FSFE's
#ilovefs campaign manager.
FSFE has several suggestions how to show your love to the people behind
Free Software, including:
- buy your favourite developer a drink
- give them a hug (ask for permission first)
- write an e-mail/letter[1] to a programmer expressing how much you like
what they are doing
- create nice pictures[2]
- donate to a Free Software initiative
- ...
Everybody can help to spread the love by sharing the campaign
banners[3], by e-mail, (micro)blog or by spreading through any social
network (please use the hashtag #ilovefs for this).
"Free Software is about putting people first", says Karsten Gerloff,
FSFE's president. "Technology is important, but we're passionate about
technology because of what it enables us to do with others, not for its
own sake. So this is the perfect time to say 'thank you' to those people
out there who make technology better for all of us."
If you live in Germany, you can join our whole day event with bands and
workshops in the Unperfekthaus in Essen[4].
1. http://blogs.fsfe.org/thomaslocke/2012/01/18/why-i-love-free-and-open-sourc…
2. http://www.marcusmoeller.ch/fsfe/we-love-free-software.html
3. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/banners.html
4. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/unperfekthaus.html
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, 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.
http://fsfe.org/
Contact: Matthias Kirschner, Free Software Foundation Europe,
Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290, m +49-1577-1780003
FSFE Newsletter - February 2012
Reclaim your smartphone!
Smartphones are small computers that we carry around all the time.
Unfortunately, most smartphones are not controlled by us, the users,
but by the manufacturers and the operators. Even Android phones are
being shipped with non-free software and proprietary add-ons that
usually do not work in the full interest of us. Software updates will
only keep to be available if the manufacturer still has a commercial
interest in your device. The applications available from the official
market are most of the time non-free. Nobody is allowed to study how
they work and what they really do on your phone. Sometimes they do
not work exactly as you want, but sometimes they might even contain
malicious features.
Running only Free Software on your device puts you in full control.
Even though you might not be able to directly exercise all of your
freedoms, you will benefit from a vibrant community that can do it
together.
FSFE [1]is collecting information about running an Android system as
free as possible. We try to coordinate the different efforts, but we
need your help with it. Join our mailing list, update the wiki and
thereby enable more people to use Free Software on their everyday
computers.
Lesson 1: Learn how to programme!
Our [2]education team has done [3]solid work in 2011, including our
[4]NL edu campaign. Free Software permits children to learn how
software works and thus to understand the concepts underlying a whole
category or type of software. They are then prepared to adapt to any
environment, which is a key skill nowadays. In addition, we believe
that the possibility to tinker does motivate children easily to learn
autonomously. Finally, Free Software allows them to understand
computers in a more depth.
Sam Tuke was [5]asked by the BBC to comment about suggestions that the
British Government may add basic programming skills to the national
curriculum, and whether this would have a political impact on society
in terms of how we interact with technology. The education team will
have a brief meeting at the upcoming FOSDEM, at the 4th and 5th of
February. You are welcome to join.
Already plans for 28th of March?
Open Standards make it easier for individuals, companies and the public
administration to switch to Free Software. The goal of the[6]Document
Freedom Day is to raise awareness for Open Standards so people have
more freedom. This year your editor is in charge of DFD and he will
bluntly promote it in this and upcoming newsletters. At the moment,
please save the date 28th of March, [7]send our country teams
nominations for the Document Freedom Award, help us to gather
information for our [8]Standards Quartet, find [9]street artists to
promote the idea of Open Standards, and [10]contact the DFD team if you
want to [11]become a supporting organisation.
Something completely different
* Time to vote: The [12]2012 Fellowship election is running until the
end of February. As Fellow you can decide between [13]Albert Dengg,
Gert Seidl, and Nikos Roussos. On 22nd February we plan to have a
chat meeting with the candidates.
* Slovak Copyright Act: [14]FSFE intern Martin Husovec [15]sent
letters to four members of Slovak Parliament that proposed a highly
awaited amendment, but later faced its dismissal due to preliminary
elections.
* Heiki Ojasild joined the Free Software Foundation Europe in 2011,
undertaking the task of translating fsfe.org into Estonian. He is
currently developing an XChat add-on, a website for free SVG and
JavaScript games, and asked [16]Estonian politicians questions
about Free Software. Read more in [17]this month's Fellowship
interview about copyright, Digital Restrictions Management,
kopimism, and activism.
* Richard Stallman's new article [18]"Measures Governments Can Use to
Promote Free Software" is out.
* Two new editions of the [19]legal news cover the US Supreme Court
decision on copyright extension, patent inflation, the[20]release
of the Mozilla Public License version 2.0 which is GNU
GPL-compatible, and more.
* During the January 18th protest against SOPA, we blacked out our
website joining other organisations to protect the Internet.
* Here a selection from the [21]Fellowship planet aggregation:
+ The new FSFE Fellowship blog theme — a name, a first
version. [22]Presenting: Pome 1.0.
+ Interested why Thomas Koch suggests you should [23]stop coding
for money?
+ You should demand Free Software in a business context became
it [24]makes sense and saves a lot of money, says Jelle
Hermsen.
+ [25]Fellow No1 tells us how much 57 persons in Rwanda can eat
while hacking on Free Software
+ What is the "web trap"? [26]Heiki Ojasild argued to treat
HTML, SVG and CSS as tools that should be as accessible to
everyone as software in general should be.
+ And a nice hardware hack: [27]Computer startup aid using a
LEGO train.
Get active: More love reports instead of bug reports!
Let us admit it, the Free Software community is often very critical. We
write bug reports, tell others how they can improve the software, ask
them for new features, and to not spare with criticism. Sometimes we
forget to say "thank you, for all your work". As in the last years, we
want to change this, at least for one day. So on Tuesday the 14th of
February we will celebrate the [28]"I love Free Software" - Day.
Get active, buy your favourite developer a drink or give them a hug
(ask for permission first), write an [29]e-mail/letter expressing your
feelings, create nice pictures, donate to a Free Software initiative,
use another [30]of our suggestions or be create yourself to show how
you appreciate people, working hard to enlarge or defend our freedom.
Beside that help us to promote the activity with [31]our banners, by
e-mail, (micro)blog or in your (distributed?) social networks.
New this year is a [32]whole day event in the Unperfekthaus in Essen
(Germany) and that all our Fellows automatically get an
login(a)ilovefs.org e-mail alias.
Thanks to all the [33]Fellows and [34]donors who enable our work,
[35]Matthias Kirschner - [36]FSFE
References
1. http://wiki.fsfe.org/Android
2. http://fsfe.org/projects/education/education.html
3. http://blogs.fsfe.org/guido/2012/01/edu-team-2011-summary/
4. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/nledu/nledu.html
5. http://blogs.fsfe.org/samtuke/?p=255
6. http://documentfreedom.org/
7. http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120110-02.html
8. http://blogs.fsfe.org/mk/?p=881
9. http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120130-01.html
10. http://documentfreedom.org/contact.html
11. http://documentfreedom.org/news/2012/news-20120127-01.html
12. http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120131-01.html
13. http://wiki.fsfe.org/FellowshipElection_2012
14. http://fsfe.org/contribute/internship.html
15. http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120110-01.html
16.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/repentinus/english/2012/01/10/estonian-political-land…
17. http://blogs.fsfe.org/fellowship-interviews/?p=521
18. http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/government-free-software.html
19. http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120126-01.html
20. http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/mpl-2.0-release
21. http://planet.fsfe.org/
22.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/marklindhout/2012/01/the-fsfe-blog-theme-%E2%80%94-a-…
23.
http://koch.ro/blog/index.php?/archives/154-Stop-coding-for-money.html
24.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/jelle/2012/01/09/demanding-free-software-in-a-busines…
25. http://blogs.fsfe.org/mario/?p=167
26. http://blogs.fsfe.org/repentinus/english/2012/01/04/the-web-trap/
27.
http://fl0rian.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/computer-startup-aid-using-a-lego-t…
28. http://ilovefs.org/
29.
http://blogs.fsfe.org/thomaslocke/2012/01/18/why-i-love-free-and-open-sourc…
30. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/ilovefs.html
31. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/banners.html
32. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/unperfekthaus.html
33. http://fellowship.fsfe.org/join
34. http://fsfe.org/home/alessandro/Documents/donate/thankgnus.html
35. http://fsfe.org/about/kirschner
36. http://www.fsfe.org/
37. http://fsfe.org/index.html
38. http://fsfe.org/news/news.rss
39. http://fsfe.org/events/events.rss
40. http://planet.fsfe.org/en/rss20.xml
41. http://fsfe.org/contact/community.html