Re: [Fwd: Re: [Fsfe-uk] BBC Article about Linux SCO and Copyrights - BBCcalls for statements (fwd)]

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

Hello all,

Is it just me or is it affecting everyone ....this delay in mail 
delivery is affecting the effectiveness of the list very badly.

(the mail headers beat me with different time zones and do not seem to 
indicate the same problems I remember noticing the last time I checked 
....about a month ago. Any mail experts ?)

Richard Smedley wrote:

at 09:42:40 +0100 and I received at 15:33:34 +0100 it seems :-(

> On Thu, 2003-09-04 at 14:06, MJ Ray wrote:
>
>
> > For what it's worth, I emailed Bill Thompson and that discussion 
> > continues.  Bill will surely email fsfe-uk himself if he wants.

It just dawned on me that we are talking about two different articles.
OK articles with slight differences but the issue is vital for national 
publicity for (or is it FUD against? ) *free software*.


> Ah me too - I expect he's had a lot of correspondence
> on this. I explained (briefly) about the GPL and the
> Berne convention, and also pointed out that to a
> certain extent his concerns on copyright asignment
> and responsibility were dealt with in an Eben Moglen
> column now linked from the article:
> http://bill.verity-networks.com/billslog/stuff/00000053.html

08/29/2003: "Taking Care with Free Software"

is not exactly the same as

Friday, 29 August, 2003, 13:43 GMT 14:43 UK
Linux community told to 'get real'

I only care about the latter as it hits global newswires and serves as a 
vital IT education mechanism for millions.

BBCi (I remember clearly) was encouraging comments.
What happened to them?

Who changed (or the opposite) the Free software into Linux in the title?

Who ommitted (or the opposite) the sentence
'SCO may be a desperate company run by greedy executives committed to 
destroying the free software movement and taking control of Linux, but...'?

Any other ommisions/additons?

Why are we concentrating on the Bill's Blog when it is not even linked 
(clearly atleast) from Bill's link at the BBCi?

Sorry to pile on the questions but one final important question ...
is there an editorial process within the BBCi which is well aware of the 
issues of Linux and free software?

> (Eben article:
> www.linuxuser.co.uk/articles/issue32/lud32-Managing_after_SCO.html )
>
> There is, after all, a case that Free Software
> authors have to be *better* than their proprietary
> counterparts when it comes to responsibility
> over what code goes into their projects :-)

Yes of course. There are plenty of material out there to read all about 
this. Even movies. :-)

> So the important thing here is to contribute to 
> an informed debate.

Yes but at the place where it matters.

If Bill Thompson is in a position to post a followup at BBCi to the FUD 
created so far then we should contribute more to his blog. It does seems 
to be taking a reasonable view.
Otherwise it has to be direct communications with the BBC.


Ramanan

PS: I wish we have a publicity mechanism which would facilitate more 
explicit discussion away from this list.