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

Re: [free-software-melb] Eric S. Raymond on evaluating the, harm from closed source
by Patrick Elliott-Brennan 12 Jun '12

12 Jun '12

Pat wrote (Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:51:34 +1000) > > It looks like in ESR's framework this falls mainly under the topic of > "agency harm" - 'They can use this asymmetry to restrict your choices, > control your data, and extract rent from you. I?ll call this ?agency > harm?'. > > A good PPT talk about this particular problem of proprietary software > by a US researcher is at > http://www.slideshare.net/ianfoster/e-science-foster-december-2010 > > cheers, Pat. > Thanks, Pat. Very interesting read. I'm generally with RMS on these things. I'm not as committed in the praxis - yes, we can all do better - but the there needs to be aims to reach for which focus on reducing the negative consequences of poorly considered short-term compromises. Sometimes we don't have the fights we should have had. Regards, Patrick

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(Off-topic) Fwd: Protect the Astor Cinema
by Patrick Sunter 12 Jun '12

12 Jun '12

Hi guys, a bit off-topic, but since the Astor Cinema's struggles with DRM's digital film was a major topic of last month's FS-M meetup, some might be interested in a 'save the astor' get-together they're having this Saturday: http://www.astortheatre.net.au/sessions/2012-06-16-1200 If you wanted to have a chat with them about the problems of DRM as suggested, could be a good chance to show some solidarity ;) -- Pat S.

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Re: [free-software-melb] Draft Fedora plan to cope with Secure Boot on x86 hardware
by Jean Elchinger 07 Jun '12

07 Jun '12

>> Meanwhile although x86 PCs are expected to have the ability to disable >> secure boot MS have decreed that in order to be certified for Windows 8 >> then ARM based systems *must not* have the ability to disable secure >> boot, thus completely blocking out all competitive platforms and >> ensuring a monopoly. With the huge growth in ARM based devices in recent >> years this is a disaster in progress. >> > >I guess. I'm not *so* worried about the ARM situation because it only >applies to Microsoft ARM devices (currently a very small percentage of the >market), whereas Microsoft has a complete monopoly on x86 devices if you >take out Apple. > >While there are a lot of new ARM devices coming out, Microsoft doesn't have >the market power to require all of them be locked down. (Of course, Apple >already requires all of their ARM devices be locked down as well -- IMHO >that's a bigger threat than Microsoft in the mobile space, and one that's >already been happening for many years.) So I guess instead of buying ARM devices certified by Microsoft, we should just buy other ARM devices like the Vivaldi Table (http://makeplaylive.com/) and I hope that in the future many other producer will do the same. But there is still the problem with the masses, we have to inform them to avoid "Microsoft hardware". Jean

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Software freedom discussions on Byte Into It, 2012-06-06
by Ben Finney 07 Jun '12

07 Jun '12

Howdy all, On last night's Byte Into It (2012-06-06) we discussed some free software topics, including developments in the Australian Attorney-General having secretive talks on copyright law, new releases of Fedora and GIMP, and VLC passes a billllion downloads. <URL:http://rrrfm.libsyn.com/webpage/byte-into-it-6-june-2012> -- \ “The idea that He would take his attention away from the | `\ universe in order to give me a bicycle with three speeds is | _o__) just so unlikely that I can't go along with it.” —Quentin Crisp | Ben Finney

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