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

Re: [free-software-melb] Crypto party details
by Rhys Davies 14 Sep '12

14 Sep '12

Hello, Sounds interesting... more info please Regards, Rhys Davies 0435 570 622 "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Seuss ________________________________ From: "free-software-melb-request(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au" <free-software-melb-request(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au> To: free-software-melb(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au Sent: Friday, 14 September 2012 10:00 PM Subject: Free-software-melb Digest, Vol 25, Issue 5 Send Free-software-melb mailing list submissions to free-software-melb(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.softwarefreedom.com.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/free-software-… or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to free-software-melb-request(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au You can reach the person managing the list at free-software-melb-owner(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Free-software-melb digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: CryptoParty 2012 ? learn about secure communications (Ben Sturmfels) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:29:25 +1000 From: Ben Sturmfels <ben(a)stumbles.id.au> To: Melbourne Free Software Interest Group <free-software-melb(a)lists.softwarefreedom.com.au>, ben Subject: Re: [free-software-melb] CryptoParty 2012 ? learn about secure communications Message-ID: <87ehm4ucca.fsf(a)stumbles.id.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Ben Finney <ben+freesoftware(a)benfinney.id.au> writes: > Howdy all, > > A new event, the CryptoParty, is being organised for sharing and > teaching everyone about secure communications. Sounds like a great event. Shame I won't be able to make it. Ben F, would you mind making a brief mention to the attendees that the technology they're learning about is all based on free software and that they may like to come along to Free Software Melbourne? Ben

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CryptoParty 2012 – learn about secure communications
by Ben Finney 14 Sep '12

14 Sep '12

Howdy all, A new event, the CryptoParty, is being organised for sharing and teaching everyone about secure communications. This is important for people involved with activism or social causes, especially when (as is usually the case!) some of the traffic is about sensitive topics within the group. The organisers of CryptoParty invite you to come on 2012-09-22: Learn about communication, online privacy, anonymity, digital rights, and generally keeping things secure. <URL:http://www.cryptoparty.org/wiki/Melbourne> -- \ “The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold | `\ in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think | _o__) differently.” —Friedrich Nietzsche, _The Dawn_, 1881 | Ben Finney

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SFD: We need you!
by Adam Bolte 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

Hi all, We are all hopefully aware by now that Software Freedom Day is this Saturday, and Free Software Melbourne will be putting together a games corner. I think it would be most interesting to people if we can make the games corner as interactive as possible. People should be able to sit down at a laptop preconfigured to play a bunch of games, and try them out. There should be local game servers for multiplayer (LAN-only seems likely unfortunately), and a wireless network so people can play with laptops that they brought along with them. If somebody doesn't have a game everyone else is playing installed but want to try it on their machine, a samba server should be present so people can download a bunch of free software games for any major platform they happen to be running (complete with source code). It would also be awesome if a laptop were to be hooked up to a projector so people who don't feel confident playing at the event can at least watch somebody else. Otherwise, if everyone instead just uses their own computer to join in, the projector could be used to display some server stats or some such. Here's what we've got to work with: The location will provide 5 modular desks, but no computers. There may be extremely minimal Internet access, so it's probably best that we assume there is none for planning purposes. I will have my personal laptop, configured as a multiplayer host and samba server. I also have two old EeePC 701s, and *maybe* one HP Atom-based netbook which people could use if they didn't bring a laptop with them. That's it. These are all small low-res screens, so much so that smc won't even load on any of them (although I suspect they could run older games like Abuse just fine). If someone can help out by bringing along a few external LCDs, keyboards, mice, or better laptops, that would be terrific. Additional Kensington locks would also be appreciated if anyone has a few spare that we could borrow. Alternatively, if somebody has the capability to bring in desktops - better still! I should be able to bring in an 8-port gigabit switch (which hopefully is enough ports?), and an old wireless access point (should be 802.11n though). Unfortunately I don't have a portable projector. I may be able to borrow one, but I won't be able to find out until Thursday if that's possible - and I'll be struggling to bring everything else in without a car as it is (so we can't count on it). If anyone has one that they can bring in on the day, that would be really awesome. Ideally, people won't just walk away having had some fun with a variety of single and multiplayer games, but will also have a basic understanding about free software and why it's important. To that effect, I was thinking that maybe somebody could make some flyers or something that people could take home and read if they are interested in learning more. Alternatively, if most people are going to be downloading a bunch of games from a Samba server, perhaps we just throw a PDF in the folder along with the other files? That certainly seems the easiest and most environmentally friendly option. It would be great if somebody can take on this job of throwing something together - or lifting it from a wiki or some such where the text is licensed to allow such distribution. There's not a lot of time left to get things organised, although I don't see there being anything here as particularly challenging to take care of - especially if a few people can help out. If anyone would like to volunteer at any stage on the day to help people get their computers networked, configure their games to connect to the servers, talk about free software, maybe sell some free software stickers or just hang out on the servers to be cannon fodder, please don't hesitate to say so. :) Regardless of being able to help out or not, I hope to see you all there. Cheers, Adam

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NZ IT professionals write to NZ govt about software patent changes
by Chris Samuel 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

Hi all, For those of you who've not seen New Zealand are in the process of changing their legislation on software patents and (from the look of it) working to exclude software from patentability. This seems to be the latest in the push with 4 large IT organisations and New Zealands two largest exporters of software joining forces with 1024 signatories to suggest changes to the wording of the law: http://www.iitp.org.nz/files/Foss-Patents.pdf Especially interesting is: # 6. The Government’s decision to remove patentability of software # has helped promote a favourable innovation environment and a very # positive reputation for New Zealand as a technology destination. As # an indication of this, a number of overseas tech companies serious # about relocating to New Zealand as a result of this decision have # approached a number of the associations co-signing this letter. Might be useful to us.. cheers! Chris -- Chris Samuel : http://www.csamuel.org/ : Melbourne, VIC

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Software Freedom Day: Saturday September 15
by Lev Lafayette 05 Sep '12

05 Sep '12

Linux Users of Victoria and Free Software Melbourne is hosting Software Freedom Day in Melbourne! At a conference dedicated to the theme of free software in a free society, confirmed speakers include Jon Lawrence of Electronic Frontiers Australia, Chris Samuel of the Victorian Life Sciences Initiative, Alec Clews of the Melbourne Raspberry Jam, Andy Gleme of the Connected Community HackerSpace, Daniel Jitnah of GreenwareIT, and Lev Lafayette of Linux Users of Victoria. There is a possibility that Belgian social theorist Michel Bauwens ‏will be attending. Presentations will cover the recent Internet surveillance laws, the importance of free software in scientific computing, new embedded technologies and micro-computers, free software and 3D printers, free software in education, and the business of free software. Software Freedom Day will be opened by Dr. Alison Parkes, senior lecturer in business information systems at the University of Melbourne, and Greens candidate for Lord Mayor of Melbourne. Free Software Melbourne will be hosting a games area, the One Laptop per Child project will be present, as will the Raspberry Jam group. There will be plenty of free software available, as well as copies of the OpenDisc. Software Freedom Day will come with a free lunch (with open sauce!). Software Freedom Day will be held at the Melbourne Unitarian Church hall (110 Grey Street, East Melbourne). It's about 5 minutes from Jolimont Station, or a brisk 10 minute walk from Parliament station. There's plenty of parking at the site as well! Free software has changed the world! Twenty years ago, free software advocates took on the multi-billion proprietary operating systems in the server, supercomputer, and mainframe world - and we won. Ten years ago, we took on the big online encyclopaedias with a free alternative - and we won. Now we're taking on producers themselves with three-dimensional printers. We'll win that as well. Come celebrate software freedom! For more information contact Deb Henry on 0409338182 http://softwarefreedomday.org http://luv.asn.au http://www.freesoftware.asn.au/melb/ -- Lev Lafayette, mobile: 0432 255 208 http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1855.txt

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Arguments against Australian Laws proposed to reduce internet privacy
by Astrid Nova 29 Aug '12

29 Aug '12

Please have a look at and send on the article linked to below on an issue that could affect us all catastrophically. The article supplies a really good argument against what the government is mooting. By the way, as an editor, I would welcome articles about how the hardware in ipods etc is becoming more and more dependent on proprietary software and that this will also undermine internet expression as the proprietary soft and hardware shapes internet use and content. Comments welcome. Sheila N All Australians to be treated as terrorist suspects? <http://candobetter.net/node/3023> Posted August 20th, 2012 by admin <http://candobetter.net/user/1> This article contains James Sinnamon's submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security <http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representa…> (PJCIS) which wants to pass new laws to make all your emails and other internet transactions up to two years back accessible to the Australian Government. *"If Australian governments were serious about protecting Australians from terrorism, they would not have given transnational corporations with interests in every kind of industry including military total access to information about resources and infrastructure relating to location and operation of power, water supply and telecommunications, land-use planning, national statistics, scientific research institutions and banks. What is left, I ask, for terrorists?" (James Sinnamon)* Also published <http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=32416> on /Global Research/.

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Attorney-General's review of technological protection measure exceptions (aka DRM)
by Ben Sturmfels 26 Aug '12

26 Aug '12

A friend pointed out this recent review on what we refer to as DRM (Digital Restrictions Management): http://www.ag.gov.au/Consultationsreformsandreviews/Pages/ReviewofTechnolog… The submission period has just closed, but I figured it might make interesting reading. If anyone is keen, it's quite possible they'd accept a late submission. You might be interested to read the Australian Digital Alliance's submission here: http://www.digital.org.au/our-work/submission/attorney-generals-review-tech… Regards, Ben

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Blender meeting this Thursday
by Alex Fraser 26 Aug '12

26 Aug '12

Hi all, If you're interested in free software graphics, you might like to come to the next Blender meeting! We're having a couple of beginner-oriented talks, as well as a Google Summer of Code project summary from one student: http://melbourneblender.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/talks-installing-add-ons-a… It's at the same time and place as our FSM meetings, this Thursday night. For further announcements, please subscribe to the MBS blog. Cheers, Alex

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SFD
by Sven＠GMX 22 Aug '12

22 Aug '12

It's on Saturday the 15th of September: http://softwarefreedomday.org/ S/o ask in regard to helping organize it. What's got to be done? Is there a venue yet? Sven

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FSM- Games night
by Sven＠GMX 21 Aug '12

21 Aug '12

Hi, in regards to the games night mentioned at the last meeting, there is a live distro called lglive and comes in two flavours, one is DVD size and the other one CD size (suitable for children and older hardware). http://live.linux-gamers.net/?s=download I reckon using this also at FSD is gonna draw people's attention to the event even more. I was at "Games Masters" last weekend and it is pretty much just about playing games for an unjustified admission fee. More info can be provided. Regards, Sven

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