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

MINIX 3 in IME
by Andrew McGlashan 08 Nov '17

08 Nov '17

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 Hi, Just thought I would share as IME is certainly considered a problem by many (including me) and the first article mentions purism, which we all know about. Also, Google wanting to remove IME from their machines. https://hexus.net/tech/news/software/111857-intel-management-engine-runs-mi… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MINIX_3 https://www.networkworld.com/article/3236064/servers/minix-the-most-popular… http://www.minix3.org/doc/intelman.html https://firmwaresecurity.com/2017/05/07/intel-me-based-on-minix/ http://www.cs.vu.nl/~ast/intel/ Kind Regards AndrewM -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- iF4EAREIAAYFAloCgiQACgkQqBZry7fv4vsKQQD6ApUyKt62EU8m6UIz8dFgLVnX JAJL0W0nQLw6iUGg6FgBAJYEH0jE6K8kpDvU8derATB8+q4mTc3IO1FMbq6ucy4G =GuEq -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Open Source event in Moreland and More!
by Ben M 24 Oct '17

24 Oct '17

Hi all, There is a fantastic looking event coming up in Moreland on Thursday the 2nd of November at 8pm: http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/libraries/library-events-and-activities/read… ... Margaret Gordon was the reporter who visited us during our August meetup, and she is presenting some of the work she has been doing with the Linux Foundation, Wikipedia and VLC. Looks to be a fantastic presentation. Even more exciting we may get the opportunity to do a short presentation or lead a discussion group... get in touch if you can make the event and want to get involved and we'll keep you updated with developments (including a sneak preview of the videos being presented... Exciting!). For anyone interested in the D# universal language Elmer presented last meetup there is a slack channel here: http://dsharpul.slack.com/ twitter channel: @dsharpul https://twitter.com/dsharpul or get in touch at elmer.bool(a)ei8.works to discuss the project further. We also mentioned the open letter for Publicly funded software has to be Free and Open Source Software: https://publiccode.eu//openletter/ ... can we get a show of support for Free Software Melbourne to sign it as an organization??? I for one think that we should sign the letter and republish on our website/blog too! :D Finally if anyone is interested in participating in a presentation at Melbourne Knowledge Week next year I've started an etherpad to sketch out ideas here: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/fsm-mkw-2018 with the working title "The Importance of Software Licensing"... put your name down as a presenter if you're interested in getting involved. ~~ Ben

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FSM Sept 16th - Software Freedom Day 2017!
by Ben M 14 Oct '17

14 Oct '17

It's that time of the year where we celebrate our freedoms in technology and raise a ruckus about all the freedoms that have been eroded away. The time of the year we look at how we might keep our increasingly digital lives under our our own control and prevent prying eyes from seeing things they shouldn't. You guessed it: It's Software Freedom Day! Free Software Melbourne, in conjunction with Linux Users Victoria, is celebrating the 14th annual Software Freedom Day with talks from Linux Users Victoria, Electronic Frontiers Australia and the F-Droid app store. We'll also be having plenty of networking opportunities, introductions to local technology groups and a Linux installfest. So bring down that old pc you were about to throw away and give it a new coat of Debian and bring it back to life! We have a Code of conduct online which we follow. In short: Be respectful. Be mindful. Work together. Link provided below. This is the a family friendly event, please invite anyone that is interested along to help make it a great day Entry is free anytime, so help spread the word on everyone’s liberties. Tea, Coffee and light refreshments will be provided gratis Hope to see all your happy faces at the event (you don't have to be happy, but be there!) Time Table 12:00pm - Doors open 12:15pm - Introduction to FOSS with FSM 1:00pm - Michael Verrenkamp - Welcome and Gnews for the year 1:15pm - John Lawrence - Electronic Frontiers Australia 2:15pm - OS Community get together - Community group introductions 2:45pm - Break and Installfest (Debian focused) 3:15pm - Andrew Pam - Linux 4:15pm - Peter Serwylo - F-Droid 6:00pm - End Day... Dinner at KL Bangra Details Date: Saturday the 16th September Location: Electron Workshop co-working space Address: 31 Arden Street, North Melbourne Map: https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2556615434 Travel Tips: http://www.electronworkshop.com.au/map/ Parking: Plenty of 2 hour parking in the area Code of Conduct: http://freesoftware.org.au/code-of-conduct/ Links: - Official Site: http://wiki.softwarefreedomday.org/2017/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/Free Software Melbourne and Linux Users Victoria - FSM Site: https://freesoftware.org.au/blog/fsm-sept-16th-software-freedom-day-2017

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Librem 5 phone - Privacy focused
by Michael Verrenkamp 25 Aug '17

25 Aug '17

The folks over at Purism are crowd funding a new mobile phone. It isn't entirely Libre but it is a lot better than the vast majority of android phones available. Runs GNU/Linux distros, not android and the user is free to install their own. Hardware switches for main elements including the base-band processor https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/ It is an ambitious project and is being a little over sold as Purism tend to do but it is a good direction to move in. Michael --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Slides from meetup
by Ben M 18 Aug '17

18 Aug '17

Hi all, Slides from the presentation on Thursday are up: https://free-software-melbourne.github.io/Gnews-2017-August/ I'll beat the drum again about the "Amend the data retention laws" campaign by "Citizens Not Suspects" in light of breaking news about the abuse of metadata: http://notsuspects.good.do/citizens/amendthedataretentionlaw/ Sorry about the last minute change of plans, and thanks to everyone who participated in the impromptu discussions. Have a great weekend, ~~ Ben

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FSM Aug 17th - Games Night 🎮
by Ben M 09 Aug '17

09 Aug '17

Hi freedom lovers, This month at Free Software Melbourne we're going to get together and gave some fun playing, demoing and talking Free Software Games. At some point in the games we'll take a break for the usual Gnews and catch up on recent happenings in digital freedoms. Doors open at 6pm with the main event starting at 6:30pm and dinner to follow at KL Bunga Raya (www.klbungaraya.com.au) when we wrap up. So bring yourself or bring a friend, but be sure to bring a laptop and a few of your favorite games! All are welcome as this is most definitely a non-technical event. Thursday 17th August, 6:30-8:30pm Electron Workshop - 31 Arden St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051 Map: http://osm.org/go/uG4HWyqEz?m=&node=2556615434 Travel tips by Electron Workshop: http://www.electronworkshop.com.au/map/ Running late or can't find us? Call 0419 390 496

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July FSM Meetup Slides
by Ben M 03 Aug '17

03 Aug '17

Hey folks, There was some interest in the slides from our talk on "What is Free Software and Why is it important?" last month and luckily for us our speaker has kindly shared the slides from the presentation along with a gentle warning that they are still a work in progress: http://puzzleduck.org/FSM/2017/What_Is_FOSS_FSA_20170720.odp ~~ Ben

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[CryptoParty] Marcy Wheeler - PRISM and effects on 5EYES countries
by Gabor Szathmari 29 Jul '17

29 Jul '17

*Join us for an exciting talk on PRISM (702), surveillance and Five Eyes with Marcy Wheeler* *When:* 27 July (Thursday), 6:00 pm *Where:* ThoughtWorks, Level 23, 303 Collins St, Melbourne Marcy Wheeler[1] (@emptywheel), an advisor to the US Congress' Fourth Amendment Caucus and an expert on this and other US surveillance laws, will explain what the authorisation fight means for US spying. FISA Section 702 (US) authorises both PRISM (the collection of content directly from US tech companies like Google and Microsoft) and upstream surveillance (the collection, via packet sniffing, of other communications transiting the US telecommunications backbone). She will explore recent problems with upstream surveillance and what it means for NSA and the Five Eyes' packet sniffing collection more generally. Marcy will lay out what the prospects are for reform of 702 this year -- and what additional protections that might offer Australians. Marcy will also explain the greater risk of surveillance under EO 12333. And she'll lay US surveillance, generally, against the background of Donald Trump's administration and his paranoid claims that he, too, has been the target of a "tapp". *More info and optional RSVP:* https://www.meetup.com/ CryptoParty-Melbourne/events/241992220 [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcy_Wheeler Kind regards, Gabor Szathmari gszathmari(a)gmail.com

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FSM Jul 20th - What is Free Software and Why is it Important
by Ben M 14 Jul '17

14 Jul '17

Greetings freedom lovers, it is that time of the month again where we get together to discuss all things digital freedom. What you love and what you worry about, all views are welcome. This month it to be started with a small talk following by discussion of the topic; “What is Free Software and Why is it important. (or what’s wrong with proprietary software anyway? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )” Societies across the globe rely on computers, phones and data networks for communication, trade, collaboration, and entertainment. The software (applications) that runs on computers, servers and phones allow users to email, write letters, record movies, play songs, conduct business, order items from around the world and keep in touch with friends (to name just a few). The software that we use everyday was created by companies, collaborative efforts or individuals from across the world. Many of the applications we use are proprietary software that the user cannot easily or legally change, copy or study. Even though we usually pay for the proprietary software we use, we don’t have full control of it, it has control over what we can do. Hence, there has been a movement to use Free Software that explicitly allows the user to copy, study, modify and run the software we use. So that the user has control over what their computer, phone or other devices can or cannot do. This talk will explain in non-technical language what is "Free Software" and why is it important for society? It will be a general discussion suitable for anyone in the community (i.e. non-geeks, non-gurus and non-nerds are all very welcome). Further, we will discuss how the Free Software Melbourne can help promote the awareness and use of Free Software by anyone who users a computer or smart device. After the discussion there will be the usual Gnews for the month... it's not pleasant this month but we will keep you up to date with everything Free Software. However chins up, we will keep fighting for freedom. Doors open at 6pm with the main event starting at 6:30pm and dinner to follow in North Melbourne at 8pm. So bring yourself or bring a friend. All are welcome as this is a non-technical event. Thursday 20th July, 6:30-8:30pm Electron Workshop - 31 Arden St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051 Map: http://osm.org/go/uG4HWyqEz?m=&node=2556615434 Travel tips by Electron Workshop: http://www.electronworkshop.com.au/map/ Running late or can't find us? Call 0419 390 496

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surprised and happy
by Free-software-melb 08 Jul '17

08 Jul '17

Greetings, I've met a friend recently and he surprised me with really great news, please read it here http://minkayfairtrade.com/silver.php?5d5c My Best, Free-software-melb Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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