Fwd: Re: [Fsfe-uk] Richard Stallman 1st seminar

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

Hello list,

The mailman setting for reply to the sender instead of the list caught me out 
:-)
If it is to keep list traffic minimal, nice move..
So here it goes.

(Simon,  Thanks for replying my question at the end in detail.)
I supose econimic theory is also a way to propagate the free software message.
Best wishes,
Ram

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: Re: [Fsfe-uk] Richard Stallman 1st seminar
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 13:17:33 +0000
From: Ramanan Selvaratnam <address@hidden>
To: Simon Waters <address@hidden>

On Wednesday 04 December 2002 01:44, Simon Waters wrote:
> > > I tought AFFS could have done much better by having a stall with the
> > > usual paraphenalia outside to alleviate such misunderstandings.  [...]
> >
> > Yes, we could.
>
> I'm not sure it would have been quite appropriate in the
> circumstances.

I disagree.
It was good to see the  striking blue AFFS and FSF Europe documents being
distributed methodically before the second seminar.
Given the fact that there were still a lot of emerging social bureaucrats
interested in information systems, for the second seminar, it surely must be
appropriate -- I am sure some would have found them informative.

Further few of the LUG people I talked to did not seem to be fully aware of
the AFFS. My guess is that there were a lot of  independent software
manufacturers too present last night.
Except for the repetiton of the four 'kinds of freedom'  all three docs.
(FSF, FSFe, AFFS) seemed full of appropriate information (atleast to me).

> Perhaps we should be scientific in our evanglising, do we know
> what is the best way to convey the free software message?

Speakers like RMS (when not tired) for one.
He performed great .It ended up as a call for support in the fight against
software patents.

Clear distinction between other manufacturing fields and software manufacture
was explained. Research indicating the fact that patents retard progress plus
an enlighteninging view on cross patenting was pointed out.
How the micro economies will get affected by such draconian patent systems
was put forward. Then it ended with a somewhat passionate plea to help him
personally carry on programming without the fear of the 'minefield' of
patents.

The question time was very invovled went into overtime and was very
productive.

-- it was clarified that Europe was the battleground.

Nick Hill (who has posted  to this list yesterday) was given as a contact if
we were to better organise the protests.

Another great way to promote such potentially complex issues is to darw
analogies like what RMS did last night.

'Could Beethoven have composed music (however orginal his works might have
been) if some of the notes he had to use were already patented?'
-- apparently this worked well with the EU legislators.

Third, grassroot level action to educate those SMEs etc. that are going to
loose out in the future. I could do with some UK specific  pointers/resources
where this complex issue is explained clearly. This way the next Fax Your MP
campaign is more effective.
I have a feeling AFFS can become one such resource.

What is

> the 'tragedy of the commons'

?

Regards,

Ram

-------------------------------------------------------