October 2012 - Free-software-melb - lists.softwarefreedom.com.au

Chipping in for an Ouya console?
by Ben Sturmfels 30 Jun '13

30 Jun '13

Hi Folks, At the last meeting I mentioned that I might be interested in chipping in for one of the Ouya [1] consoles as a way to support the development of the project. A console with 4 controllers shipped to Australia would be $209 USD [2]. I see they've already raised $8M in pre-sales though, so perhaps there are other free software organisations that would benefit more from a donation right now. I'm thinking instead of buying a video card from Think Penguin [3]. Ben [1] http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-cons… [2] http://www.ouya.tv/buyouya/ [3] https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/geforce-9500gt-1gb-pci-express-20-vi…

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GNU Media Goblin crowd-funding campaign
by Ben Sturmfels 13 Apr '13

13 Apr '13

Hi Folks, GNU MediaGoblin is a free software media publishing system for images, video, and audio. I've found it very useful for hosting my own photos. The goblins are running a crowd-funding campaign to add some advanced features like decentralisation as well as simpler installation and administration. I've just made a donation and thought you might like to to: http://mediagoblin.org/pages/campaign.html Christopher Allan Webber, the project lead was recently interview on Free as In Freedom. Definitely worth a listen: http://faif.us/cast/2012/sep/14/0x31/ Regards, Ben

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Raspberry Pi opens up
by Sven＠GMX 08 Nov '12

08 Nov '12

people having one will love that, so do I: http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Raspberry-Pi-opens-its-ARM-graphics-… Is there actually anyone else in the group having one? Sven

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ATO, Tax and Linux
by Chris Samuel 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

Hi folks, After the last talk I thought this might interest people, the link was sent in response to @piawaugh on Twitter: http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.aspx?doc=/content/00325407.htm&pc=0… It's a transcript of an audio grab by the Tax Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo from around July this year from the look of it, and it says: # [...] but really in the next couple of years we're hoping to # develop a platform that is application agnostic, in other words # rather than whether you've got a Mac or you've got a Microsoft # platform it'll apply on your tablet, it'll apply on your Linux # system, it'll apply on a whole range of other web based # interfaces. So I think that's the way for the future to allow # all the new digital devices to work rather than just specific # platforms. So promising words, but not a firm commitment from the look of it. cheers, Chris -- Chris Samuel : http://www.csamuel.org/ : Melbourne, VIC

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Donating to free software: Dreamhost & FSF
by Chris Watkins 28 Oct '12

28 Oct '12

Subject was: Donating to free software (was: GNU Media Goblin crowd-funding campaign) Not sure if anyone else has a Dreamhost account, but for each 3 month period they have a nominated charity, where they quadruple your donation. For the rest of October and November it's the Free Software Foundation. I need to get organized, finish a contract and get paid - hopefully in time to be generous to FSF. If you're not a customer but you have someone you really trust with a Dreamhost account, you could always get them to donate for you. I'd offer, but I hope you're all too sensible to trust a stranger posting to a public email list :-). -- Chris Watkins Appropedia.org - Sharing knowledge to build rich, sustainable lives.

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Notes from recent discussion group
by Ben Sturmfels 28 Oct '12

28 Oct '12

Hi Folks, Thanks for coming along to the discussion group on the 18 October! Notes are below. The next discussion group is on 15 November. Adam Bolte will be telling us about his explorations in running free software network services from home, including email, chat, microblogging, code hosting and media sharing. Ben Finney will be telling us how to avoid being tracked on the web. On 20 December we're having an evening BBQ, probably on the banks of the Yarra. We realise that it's a busy time for many, so this will be very casual. On 17 January we're holding a games night to follow-up from our highly successful event a little while back. I'm really looking forward to the next few months! Regards, Ben Notes from discussion group 18 October 2012 ------------------------------------------- - Ben demoed Media Goblin for hosting photos and videos and his use to host baby photos - Discussed the Media Goblin crowd-funding campaign - goals to build federated replacement for YouTube/Flick etc. - choice to use FSF infrastructure rather than Kickstarter - experiences with crowd-funding, fund-raising and grants - Ben's annual urge to free the E-tax income tax software - most present use an accountant - small number use E-tax or complete tax return on paper - standard free software approach of just rewriting? - could we do better than just clone E-tax? - our chances of connecting to ATO's network services to eg. submit return? - perhaps just printing return would be big step - contacting the ATO? it might save work for them - getting the API details under "freedom of information" - what is the future is for desktop E-tax? - ATO could well be building a web-app - ABC iView - ABC's cease and desist on Jeremy Visser's python-iview - Discussed upcoming meetings/events (see above) - December/January is busy but decided to hold events anyway

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Bad DRM
by Brian May 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

http://www.bekkelund.net/2012/10/22/outlawed-by-amazon-drm/ "A couple of days a go, my friend Linn sent me an e-mail, being very frustrated: Amazon just closed her account and wiped her Kindle. Without notice. Without explanation. This is DRM at it’s worst." I thought Amazon was better then this and had learnt from the 1984 (George Orwell's) dramas. Obviously I was wrong :-( -- Brian May <brian(a)microcomaustralia.com.au>

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Re: [free-software-melb] Free Software discussion group this Thursday 18 October
by Ben Sturmfels 19 Oct '12

19 Oct '12

Hi Daniel, Sorry you weren't able to make it yesterday. We had an interesting discussion about E-tax, which I'll summarise in a separate email. Perhaps you could reply with a brief overview of OSIA's perspective? I'm not familiar with Zeitgeist Melbourne, but hope the evening was successful. Regards, Ben On 18/10/12 15:42, DanyJ wrote: > On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:52:49 +1100 > Ben Sturmfels <ben(a)stumbles.id.au> wrote:Ben Sturmfels <ben(a)stumbles.id.au> wrote: > > Hi Ben > > I'd like to come down to that meeting. > > Can I plz ask that the eTax discussion be first - as I am interested > and can fill up on OSIA stand, because I have unfortunately to go > somewhere else at 7. > > BTW I am going to another meetup in Fitzroy where they are showing a > film on Open Source Technologies - I never met this mob before and have > no idea what they are up to: > > > Zeitgeist Monthly Documentary Screening: Open Source Technologies > Zeitgeist Melbourne > Thursday, October 18, 2012 > 7:00 PM > Gertrude's Brown Couch > 30 Gertrude St, Fitzroy > Melbourne > > Do you know them? > > > Cheers > Daniel. > > >> Hi Folks, >> >> October already! Wow, this month has certainly crept up on me. I'm >> looking forward to another Free Software Melbourne discussion group >> and dinner this Thursday, same time same place. Hope to see you there! >> >> Regards, >> Ben >> >> ---------------------------------------- >> Free Software Melbourne discussion group >> ---------------------------------------- >> >> Thursday 20 September, 6-9pm >> VPAC Head Office Training Room (see website) >> http://www.freesoftware.asn.au/melb/ >> >> Agenda: >> >> - Can crowd-funding campaigns like MediaGoblin's be the secret weapon >> for funding free software? (discussion) >> >> - Embarking on a project to reimplement the Australian Government's >> proprietary E-tax software (discussion) >> >> - Tasty dinner at a nearby restaurant >> <#secure method=pgpmime mode=sign> >> _______________________________________________ >> Free-software-melb mailing list >> Free-software-melb(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au >> http://lists.softwarefreedom.com.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/free-software-… >

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Games Night
by Sven＠GMX 18 Oct '12

18 Oct '12

Two very good lists of open source games, even cross-platform. That should be sufficient fuel for our next games night. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open-source_video_games http://www.unixmen.com/gaming-on-linux1131-19-awesome-opensource-games-for-… Happy gaming, Sven

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Free Software discussion group this Thursday 18 October
by Ben Sturmfels 17 Oct '12

17 Oct '12

Hi Folks, October already! Wow, this month has certainly crept up on me. I'm looking forward to another Free Software Melbourne discussion group and dinner this Thursday, same time same place. Hope to see you there! Regards, Ben ---------------------------------------- Free Software Melbourne discussion group ---------------------------------------- Thursday 20 September, 6-9pm VPAC Head Office Training Room (see website) http://www.freesoftware.asn.au/melb/ Agenda: - Can crowd-funding campaigns like MediaGoblin's be the secret weapon for funding free software? (discussion) - Embarking on a project to reimplement the Australian Government's proprietary E-tax software (discussion) - Tasty dinner at a nearby restaurant <#secure method=pgpmime mode=sign>

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