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Re: [free-software-melb] [free-software-melb-announce] Jon Lawrence on Trans-Pacific Partnership, Thu 2014-07-17
by Ben Finney 18 Jul '14

18 Jul '14

On 14-Jul-2014, Adam Bolte wrote: > This coming Thursday the 17th is the next scheduled meet-up > for our Free Software discussion group. Meeting notes for the topics we discussed are now online at <URL:http://freesoftware.org.au/wiki/meetingNotes/20140717>. Thanks to everyone who attended. Please get in touch with the committee, or here on the discussion forum, with suggestions for guests and/or topics for future meetings. -- \ “Killing the creator was the traditional method of patent | `\ protection” —Terry Pratchett, _Small Gods_ | _o__) | Ben Finney <ben(a)benfinney.id.au>

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Re: [free-software-melb] [free-software-melb-announce] Jon Lawrence on Trans-Pacific Partnership, Thu 2014-07-17
by Ben Finney 17 Jul '14

17 Jul '14

Howdy all, Jon Lawrence has sent his apologies, he is unwell and not able to make it to our Free Software Melbourne meeting tonight. We will have a discussion about the Trans-Pacific Partnership; hope you've all done your homework :-) -- \ “I cannot conceive that anybody will require multiplications at | `\ the rate of 40,000 or even 4,000 per hour …” —F. H. Wales, 1936 | _o__) | Ben Finney

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The Trans-Pacific Partnership and “Free Trade”
by Ben Finney 15 Jul '14

15 Jul '14

Howdy all, Here's some reading material, in the form of a cartoon by Mike Goodwin <URL:http://economixcomix.com/home/tpp/>. It is a lay explanation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in particular how it will (reportedly) affect international trade and how “free trade” is the dogma that is used to bully legislators and the public affected by these closed-room deals. The explanation is helpful and uses Australia's current trade laws, and the predicted changes demanded by the TPP, as an example of how this deal is bad for member nations. Hope you find this useful in preparing some points for discussion with Jon Lawrence at our Free Software Melbourne meeting this Thursday. -- \ “When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I | `\ had any firearms with me. I said, ‘Well, what do you need?’” | _o__) —Steven Wright | Ben Finney

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Sawmill software
by Andrew Spiers 10 Jul '14

10 Jul '14

http://www.sawmill.net/formats/unix_syslog.html "Sawmill is a Open Source Unix Syslog log analyzer (it also supports the 997 other log formats listed to the left). " Does that mean the sawmill software is open source? Apparently not. Does anyone have any recommendations for one, other than logstash? I'm after something a little more lightweight.

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Campaign to stop the TPP
by Adam Bolte 04 Jul '14

04 Jul '14

I just received a couple of urgent messages in my inbox related to the TPP, bringing the following to my attention: https://action.sumofus.org/a/tpp-ottawa-donate/2/3/?akid=6001.831468.-puyXE… "We were planning to be there in Vancouver and welcome them with a massive protest... we’ve just heard that TPP organizers are moving the secret talks to Ottawa -- a five hour flight away -- right at the last minute." It's disgraceful. After looking (and perhaps donating) at the above sumofus.org page, it may be worth adding your comments here if you have not already: https://openmedia.org/facetoface?src=blg -Adam

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Fwd: [free-software-melb-announce] Jon Lawrence on Trans-Pacific Partnership, Thu 2014-07-17
by Adrian Colomitchi 30 Jun '14

30 Jun '14

(fwding a failed reply to the "announce" list) In the meantime, here's another acronym negotiated in secret - TiSA: http://wikileaks.com/tisa-financial/ http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/secret-trade-negotiat… Maybe it's a good time to switch my mortgage to a local credit union? Well, the secret is not the deepest possile <https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/trade-in-services-agree…> - at least we (should) know about the negotiations, even if we don't what/how is being negotiated. Some interesting reads about various concerns: - Music Council of Australia <https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/mca.pdf> - please don't subject Aussie culture to competition on price - it'll be good-bye to Australian specific TV/music - Law Council of Australia <https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/law-council-o…> - fly-in/fly-out service providers won't be subject to the same services regulations as Australians (e.g. no license required to practice for less than 90 days). Some troubles may exists with the jurisdictions applicable to service contracts. - ACTU <https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/australian-co…> - numerous concerns, mainly related with "The devil is usually in details, and you don't seem to disclose them enough". Of course, among them: labour standards, dispute settlements, public services/govt acquisitions (as one mean a govt can use to absorb shocks in economy - how would you like Abbot's "infrastructure govt" done with fly-in/fly-out overseas workers?) - ANZ <https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/anz.pdf> - yeah, baby, faster, faster. See, we can't get past stoopid regulations in some Asian countries (e.g. how can we provide "low-risks" loans with land-titles as collateral if we can't own land in that country?). Also, it's annoying that we can't store/process your Australian personal data oversea due to some privacy laws, so let's arrange TiSA in such a way that we can knock those laws out when the time comes. Adrian On Sat, Jun 28, 2014 at 12:27 AM, Adam Bolte <abolte(a)systemsaviour.com> wrote: > Howdy all, > > The negotiations continue for extortionist mega-corporations, under > the guise of the US Trade Representative office, using secretive > international trade negotiations to bully Australia, and many other > countries, to enact laws favourable only to those corporations. > > This is the Trans-Pacific Partnership > <URL:http://tppaustralia.org/what-is-the-tppa/>. > > Our coming Free Software Melbourne meeting, Thursday 2014-07-17 from > 18:00, will feature Jon Lawrence from Electronic Frontiers Foundation, > to lead a discussion about this deal which will have profound effects > on our software freedom in Australia and elsewhere. > > Definitely one not to miss! Please spread the word to people likely to > be interested in this event and let us know. > > > _______________________________________________ > Free-software-melb-announce mailing list > Free-software-melb-announce(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au > > http://lists.softwarefreedom.com.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/free-software-… > > Free Software Melbourne home page: http://www.freesoftware.asn.au/melb/ >

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Choice to inform public about graduated response policy.
by Ben M 02 Jun '14

02 Jun '14

It's not quite the TPP/FTA scale, but it's the internet, it's piracy, it's the vibe. Surprised to see Choice getting involved. -------- Original (cruft removed) Message -------- Yesterday, reports that the federal government is looking at so-called graduated response policies were confirmed. These policies will make the internet slower and more expensive, and there's no evidence that they will have any impact on the problem they are trying to address, internet piracy. Rather than increasing access to content, the government wants to penalise all consumers in order to protect the profits of American copyright holders. http://click.email.choice.com.au/?qs=b85453dd728ea6866654e252fc8c17cfd24352… Help CHOICE fund an ad to run in the national media that tells the government not to force costly policies onto consumers and ISPs without addressing the root causes of internet piracy. http://click.email.choice.com.au/?qs=b85453dd728ea6866654e252fc8c17cfd24352… Donate now! The government has never asked consumers what they think of these laws. It's time we tell them. So much is being considered in secret. Here's what we know: - The Attorney-General's Department has confirmed that it is considering establishing a graduated response scheme as one possible anti-piracy policy in Australia. - These policies will make internet access more expensive for all users - not just people illegally downloading content. - These policies will make the internet slower for everyone because your ISP (internet service provider) has to enforce clunky regulations. - These policies won't stop piracy. The most effective measure to stop piracy is giving consumers timely and affordable access to the content they want.By http://click.email.choice.com.au/?qs=b85453dd728ea6866654e252fc8c17cfd24352… donating just $10 , you will help us place an ad in the national media to tell the government that this is a #piracyfail. Best wishes, Angela Cartwright Campaigns Manager P.S For more information http://click.email.choice.com.au/?qs=b85453dd728ea686b0c67ccbba7dbe9389dc3f… check out the CHOICE website .

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BitCoin data continually triggering Microsoft malware alert
by Ben Finney 18 May '14

18 May '14

Howdy all, Apropos the BitCoin discussions, here is a Microsoft Windows user raising the issue that Microsoft's “Security Essentials” is continually flagging a user's BitCoin data as matching a 25-year-old defunct virus. Since this is only the virus signature and not the virus itself, there apparently is no danger to users in any way. However, MSE recognizes the signature for the virus and continuously reports it as a threat, and every time it deletes the file, the bitcoin client will simply re-download the missing blockchain. It appears to be a joke or prank, simply because this particular virus does nothing more than periodically show "YOUR COMPUTER HAS BEEN STONED" on one out of every eight computer boot-ups, and is over 25 years old. <URL:https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect_updating/…> What are the chances Microsoft will address this correctly? What incentives would they have to make BitCoin more convenient / less scary for their users? -- \ “Every man would like to be God, if it were possible; some few | `\ find it difficult to admit the impossibility.” —Bertrand | _o__) Russell, _Power: A New Social Analysis_, 1938 | Ben Finney

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starting your own crypto currency
by Russell Coker 18 May '14

18 May '14

I'd like to start my own crypto currency. What's the easiest way of doing it? I'd like to use an Android phone client for payments if possible, hopefully a FOSS Android app at least. The total value of currency released will be only a few hundred dollars. Also I want to run the central bank and be the only issuer of currency. Any suggestions? I guess I could just buy half a bitcoin, but it might be more fun to start my own. -- My Main Blog http://etbe.coker.com.au/ My Documents Blog http://doc.coker.com.au/

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Id software, Mozilla and the Gnews
by Adam Bolte 17 May '14

17 May '14

Hey all, I was informed Thursday that it's pronounced I.D. software, but I do not believe that to be true. Here's a documentary on the company where they describe the origins of the name, and they definitely do not pronounce it that way. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCafnH_eisA From the meet-up, here are the links from the gnews items: New Firefox release, which has received much community backlash: * https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=14/05/12/133214 * http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/04/29/1638220/firefox-29-redesign * http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=13350353&sid=cee01d7621130bd3… New Screen release (first in over 5 years!): * https://savannah.gnu.org/forum/forum.php?forum_id=7961 New OpenSSH release which does not depend on OpenSSL: * http://it.slashdot.org/story/14/04/30/1822209/openssh-no-longer-has-to-depe… New Mailman beta (now using Twitter bootstrap!): * http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/04/29/0253247/gnu-mailman-3-enters-beta * https://lists.stg.fedoraproject.org/archives/ (demo URL) US Supreme Court Makes It Easier To Get Lawyers Fees In Patent Cases: * http://yro.slashdot.org/story/14/04/30/1555231/supreme-court-makes-it-easie…> MediaGoblin campaign a success! * http://mediagoblin.org/news/campaign-success.html RBDOOM-3-BFG hits 1.0 * https://github.com/RobertBeckebans/RBDOOM-3-BFG * https://github.com/RobertBeckebans/RBDOOM-3-BFG/releases/tag/v1.0.1 All Packages Needed For FreedomBox Now In Debian: * http://linux-beta.slashdot.org/story/14/04/16/1355220/all-packages-needed-f… New Privacy Badger Firefox and Chrome extension: * https://www.eff.org/privacybadger Why Oracle’s Copyright Victory Over Google Is Bad News for Everyone: * http://www.wired.com/2014/05/oracle-copyright/ * https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/05/dangerous-ruling-oracle-v-google-fede… Net Neutrality links: * https://openmedia.org/slowlane?src=156261 * http://cms.fightforthefuture.org/tellfcc/ * http://www.occupythefcc.com/ * https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/05/prepare-take-action-defend-net-neutra… SOPA's dead but pols ask ad companies to pretend SOPA is law anyway: * https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/05/pols-ad-networks-pretend-we-passed-so… Mozilla announces partnership with Adobe to support Digital Restrictions Management: * https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2014/05/14/drm-and-the-challenge-of-serving-u… * https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-condemns-partnership-between-mozilla-and-adobe… * http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/14/firefox-closed-source-drm… * https://hacks.mozilla.org/2014/05/reconciling-mozillas-mission-and-w3c-eme/ * https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=14/05/14/1949257 Just on that last gnews item, there was some discussion Thursday around what Mozilla was actually bundling with its browser. From The Guardian link: "Mozilla says it isn’t providing DRM; it’s providing a fully open utility that automatically fetches and installs DRM from Adobe’s servers. I am unconvinced that there is a meaningful distinction between “installing DRM” and “installing code that installs DRM”." So while it is technically accurate that Mozilla isn't bundling proprietary code, depending on the implementation, they might as well be. Hopefully this is functionality that needs to be activated by the user, as opposed to having EME enabled in the browser by default (such as the way cookies are currently handled). I also found this interesting, but unexpected: "But if users modify the sandbox in any way – if they add new features or improvements to it – the Adobe plug-in can detect the alteration and it will refuse to pass any more decoded video. The Mozilla sandbox comes with total openness, but without any of the freedoms that the free software movement cherishes." I wonder if unofficial Firefox builds will work with Adobe's CDM. Probably not. I also wonder if Mozilla's EME sandbox will be compatible with other CDMs. Thanks all for coming along Thursday. I particularly enjoyed seeing how the Bitcoin ATM was put together. Cheers, Adam

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