# Free Software Supporter Issue 88, August 2015 Welcome to the Free Software Supporter, the Free Software Foundation's monthly news digest and action update -- being read by you and 92,011 other activists. That's 1,615 more than last month! ## FSF invites the free software community to its 30th birthday party on October 3rd Our thirtieth birthday party will be held in Boston on the evening of Saturday, October 3rd. Register [here](https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=26), stay tuned for more information about a mini-conference during the daytime on October 3rd, and [contact us](mailto:address@hidden) if you want to celebrate alongside us, worldwide. ## GuixSD needs donations of computers and hosting. Can you help? Guix System Distribution was added to the FSF's list of [endorsed GNU/Linux distributions](https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-adds-guix-system-distribution-to-list-of-endorsed-distributions) earlier this year. The project needs your help: the FSF and other organizations have contributed servers to the project, but GuixSD welcomes further [donations of hardware and hosting](https://www.gnu.org/software/guix/donate/). ### Fall internships with the FSF: Application deadline extended to August 7 Apply for a fall internship with the Free Software Foundation! We are seeking interns for an educational experience contributing to our campaigns, licensing, or technical team. [Full application information is here.](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/fall-internships-with-the-free-software-foundation-apply-by-july-31st) ## TABLE OF CONTENTS * Help a friend skip Windows 10 and try GNU/Linux * You're invited: 30th birthday party and mini-conference * Where's Apple's integrity? * Why I am pro-GPL * SeaGL: A free software conference that's not just for the birds * Replicant update: RMLL feedback, Optimus Black advancement and CCCamp * Who actually reads the code? The GNU Parallel maintainer found out * GCC 5.2 released * Statement on Canonical's updated licensing terms for Ubuntu GNU/Linux * The Licensing and Compliance Lab interviews Joël Krähemann, maintainer of Advanced GTK+ Sequencer * FSF endorses embedded GNU/Linux distro ProteanOS as fully free * Teaching Email Self-Defense: Campaigns intern leads a workshop at PorcFest * Nano-archimedes: A GNU package and quantum physics * Now at a new time, Friday Free Software Directory IRC meeting: August 7 * Forced bundled selling of computers and software before the Court of Justice of the European Union * MEPs recommend ISDS with lipstick in TTIP * French Government IT directorate stands its ground: ODF supported, OOXML rejected * Ubuntu Software Center: proprietary and free software mixed in a confusing UI * LibrePlanet featured resource: FSF30 * GNU Spotlight with Brandon Invergo: Nineteen new GNU releases! * Richard Stallman's speaking schedule and other FSF events * Other FSF and free software events * Thank GNUs! * Take action with the FSF! * GNU copyright contributions View this issue online here: Encourage your friends to subscribe and help us build an audience by adding our subscriber widget to your web site. * Subscribe: * Widget: Miss an issue? You can catch up on back issues at . ### El Free Software Supporter está disponible en español. Para ver la versión en español haz click aqui: **Para cambiar las preferencias de usuario y recibir los próximos números del Supporter en español, haz click aquí: Le Free Software Supporter est disponible en français. Pour voir la version française cliquez ici: **Pour modifier vos préférences et recevoir les prochaines publications du Supporter en français, cliquez ici:** ### Help a friend skip Windows 10 and try GNU/Linux *From July 29th* We can't stop all the millions of people who are installing Windows 10 right now, but we can influence our friends and family to skip Windows and join us in the free world. As you know, Windows 10 puts those that use it under the thumb of Microsoft, while free software treats users as equals and gives them control over their digital lives. [Pledge to help a friend switch to GNU/Linux today.](https://www.fsf.org/windows/pledge) Refer them to our [new page for people who are considering making the switch away from Windows](https://www.fsf.org/windows), and if they're not quite ready yet, show them these [free software programs that work on Windows.](https://www.gnu.org/software/for-windows.html) Here's our [list of endorsed GNU/Linux distributions](https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.en.html) for when your friend is ready to choose a new operating system, and a list of the [laptops we have certified through our Respects Your Freedom program](https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/endorsement/respects-your-freedom). If they are the type to build their own computer, refer them to [h-node](https://h-node.org/), the community-maintained database of computer components that work well with free software. * ### You're invited: 30th birthday party and mini-conference *From July 23rd* As you may already know, this is the Free Software Foundation's thirtieth year fighting for computer user freedom. It has been a great year already, with our biggest LibrePlanet conference ever and an article about GNU in the *New Yorker*. But what's a birthday without a party? Join the Free Software Foundation and friends in Boston, MA, USA on the evening of Saturday, October 3rd for our 30th Birthday Party. We'll share hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and an address by FSF founder and president Richard Stallman, as well as plenty of social time for catching up with old friends and making new ones. Share your FSF memories on social media, using the hashtag #FSF30. * ### Where's Apple's integrity? *From July 22nd* When we say people and groups lack integrity, we mean that they're corrupt and deceitful. Similarly, when computer scientists say that a file lacks integrity, they mean it's been corrupted: unintentionally or maliciously modified. Apple's recent decision to impose Digital Restrictions Management -- the favorite anti-feature of proprietary format developers -- on many music fans lacked integrity, and took away the files' integrity as well. You can visit [defectivebydesign.org/apple](https://www.defectivebydesign.org/apple) to learn more about Apple's digital shackles and take action. * ### Why I am pro-GPL *From Chris Webber, July 21st* Recently, at OSCON, I attended the lightning talks (here called "Ignite Talks"). The last talk of the night was titled "Why I don’t use the GPL" by Shane Curcuru, VP of Brand Management at the Apache Software Foundation". It was a harsh talk, and it needs a response... So let me say it up front: my name is Christopher Allan Webber, and I am pro-GPL and pro-copyleft. * ### SeaGL: A free software conference that's not just for the birds *Guest post from Ted Cox of SeaGL, from July 21st* The Seattle GNU/Linux Conference -- we like to call it SeaGL -- is the Emerald City’s best grassroots technical conference for free and libre software. The 3rd annual conference happens Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 at Seattle Central College, and it’s already shaping up to be better than last year! * ### Replicant update: RMLL feedback, Optimus Black advancement and CCCamp *From Paul Kocialkowski, Replicant developer, July 20th* Our recent development effort has been focused on cleaning up the bits and pieces laying around for Optimus Black support in U-Boot, now that the merge window is open. A patch series was sent for review and despite being incomplete as of now, it will serve as a solid base for future additions. Some more work is indeed required to have all the necessary features supported, but those patches will be written in a non-upstreamable way for Replicant at first. The current status of those dirty patches allows booting CyanogenMod without too much trouble, except for the occasional random reboot and other oddities that still have to be sorted out before it can seriously be used for daily use. * ### Who actually reads the code? The GNU Parallel maintainer found out *From Ole Tange, July 18th* I am the maintainer of a piece of free software called GNU Parallel. Free software guarantees you access to the source code, but I have been wondering how many actually read the source code. To test this I put in a comment telling people to email me when they read this. The comment was put in a section of the code that no one would look to fix or improve the software -- so the source code equivalent to a dusty corner. * ### GCC 5.2 released *From July 16th* The GNU project and the GCC developers are pleased to announce the release of GCC 5.2. This release is a bug-fix release, containing fixes for regressions in GCC 5.1 relative to previous releases of GCC. * ### Statement on Canonical's updated licensing terms for Ubuntu GNU/Linux *From July 15th* The Free Software Foundation's Licensing and Compliance Lab, along with the Software Freedom Conservancy, announced that, after two years of negotiations, Canonical, Ltd. published an update to the licensing terms of Ubuntu GNU/Linux. This update makes Canonical's policy unequivocally comply with the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) and other free software licenses. However, the FSF feels that the policy remains problematic in ways that prevent us from endorsing it as a model for others. * ### The Licensing and Compliance Lab interviews Joël Krähemann, maintainer of Advanced GTK+ Sequencer *From July 8th* In this edition of our Licensing and Compliance Lab's series on free software developers who choose GNU licenses for their works,we interviewed Joël Krähemann, Maintainer of Advanced GTK+ Sequencer. Joël is an IT professional in Switzerland and works on music for fun. Advanced GTK+ Sequencer (AGS) is a an audio processing and composition tool. * ### FSF endorses embedded GNU/Linux distro ProteanOS as fully free *From July 8th* The Free Software Foundation (FSF) added ProteanOS to its list of recommended GNU/Linux distributions. ProteanOS is a new, small, and fast distribution that primarily targets embedded devices, but is also being designed to be part of the boot system of laptops and other devices. The lead maintainer of ProteanOS is P. J. McDermott, who is working closely with the Libreboot project and hopes to have ProteanOS be part of the boot system of Libreboot-compatible devices. * ### Teaching Email Self-Defense: Campaigns intern leads a workshop at PorcFest *From July 2nd* Campaign intern Adam Leibson taught GnuPG email encryption at PorcFest in New Hampshire, and will incorporate the experience into new teaching materials for the free software community. * ### Nano-archimedes: A GNU package and quantum physics *From Jean Michel Sellier, July 2nd* Jean Michel Sellier is maintainer and developer of GNU archimedes and nano-archimedes. He writes: For the first time in human history, the development of a GNU package (nano-archimedes) has given birth to a new formulation of quantum mechanics, a profound result which promises to bring exciting insights in Physics and technology. This is the outcome of 10 years of development which started from Archimedes and ended up with nano-archimedes, two GNU packages which aim is the simulation of electron transport in various technologically relevant situations. A link to the new formulation follows. * ### Now at a new time, Friday Free Software Directory IRC meeting: August 7 *From July 22nd* Join the FSF and friends every Friday — two hours earlier than previous meetings — to help improve the Free Software Directory by adding new entries and updating existing ones. Join the FSF and friends this Friday, August 7 — at a new time — from 12pm to 3pm EDT (16:00 to 19:00 UTC). We will be on IRC in the #fsf channel on freenode. There are also weekly FSD Meetings pages that everyone is welcome to contribute to before, during, and after each meeting. * After this meeting, you can check to see the rest of this month's weekly meetings as they are scheduled. ### Forced bundled selling of computers and software before the Court of Justice of the European Union *From April, July 31st* On Thursday June 25, 2015, the French Court of Cassation referred a question on forced bundled selling of computers and software to the Court of Justice of the European Union, for a preliminary ruling. The court of Luxembourg will thus take a decision on this practice in the next few weeks. April looks forward to this decision, which might confirm the unfair nature of the requirement to buy software when purchasing a computer on the consumer market. * ### MEPs recommend ISDS with lipstick in TTIP *From April, July 8th* On July 8, 2015 the European Parliament voted to recommend a (slightly tweaked) version of ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement) in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). April, who had called for the rejection of ISDS, regrets that the European Parliament once again fell prey to the vague promises of the European Commission, and did not demand the deletion, once and for all, of the undemocratic ISDS from the trade agreement. * ### French Government IT directorate stands its ground : ODF supported, OOXML rejected *From April, July 7th* The final draft version of the RGI (general interoperability framework), still awaiting final validation, maintains ODF (Open Document Format) as the recommended format for office documents within French administrations, and criticizes the OOXML Microsoft format. April thanks the DISIC (French Inter-ministerial IT directorate) for not giving in to pressure and acting in the long-term interest of all French citizens and their administrations. * ### Ubuntu Software Center: proprietary and free software mixed in a confusing UI *From Free Software Magazine, June 4th* I have been watching the evolution of the Ubuntu Software Center for quite a while now. I had doubts about its interface and its speed, but I liked the fact that it offered an easy, down-to-earth interface that allowed users to install software easily. However, I have to say that the way the Ubuntu Software Center has evolved is worrying me -- a lot. I am not against the idea of selling software. What I am against, is confusing proprietary software with non-proprietary software, and the Ubuntu Software Center seems to be doing just that. * ### LibrePlanet featured resource: FSF30 Every month on LibrePlanet, we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that could use your help. For this month, we are highlighting FSF30, which provides resources for planning and promoting your own event celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the Free Software Foundation. Add your own ideas for ways to celebrate, promote your event, and share images and memories from the first thirty years of FSF! * Do you have a suggestion for next month's featured resource? Let us know at . ### GNU Spotlight with Brandon Invergo: Nineteen new GNU releases! *From July 27th* 19 new GNU releases in the last month (as of July 21, 2015): * [binutils-2.25.1](https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/) * [coreutils-8.24](https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/) * [denemo-1.2.4](https://www.gnu.org/software/denemo/) * [ed-1.12](https://www.gnu.org/software/ed/) * [gcc-5.2.0](https://www.gnu.org/software/gcc/) * [gettext-0.19.5.1](https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/) * [gnucash-2.6.7](https://www.gnu.org/software/gnucash/) * [gnupg-2.1.6](https://www.gnu.org/software/gnupg/) * [gnutls-3.4.3](https://www.gnu.org/software/gnutls/) * [icecat-31.8.0-gnu1](https://www.gnu.org/software/icecat/) * [libidn-1.31](https://www.gnu.org/software/libidn/) * [libunistring-0.9.6](https://www.gnu.org/software/libunistring/) * [nano-2.4.2](https://www.gnu.org/software/nano/) * [screen-4.3.1](https://www.gnu.org/software/screen/) * [texinfo-6.0](https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/) * [tramp-2.2.12](https://www.gnu.org/software/tramp/) * [ucommon-6.3.5](https://www.gnu.org/software/commoncpp/) * [unifont-8.0.01](https://www.gnu.org/software/unifont/) For announcements of most new GNU releases, subscribe to the info-gnu mailing list: . To download: nearly all GNU software is available from , or preferably one of its mirrors from . You can use the url to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror. A number of GNU packages, as well as the GNU operating system as a whole, are looking for maintainers and other assistance: please see if you'd like to help. The general page on how to help GNU is at . This month, we welcome Assaf Gordon as a new comaintainer of GNU Coreutils. If you have a working or partly working program that you'd like to offer to the GNU project as a GNU package, see . As always, please feel free to write to us at with any GNUish questions or suggestions for future installments. * ### Richard Stallman's speaking schedule For event details, as well as to sign-up to be notified for future events in your area, please visit . **[Richard's talk in Iquitos, Peru has been cancelled](http://www.fsf.org/events/rms-20150816-iquitos)** * August 19, 2015, 6:00-8:00PM, Arequipa, Peru, ["El software libre en la ética y en la práctica"](https://www.fsf.org/events/rms-20150819-arequipa) So far, Richard Stallman no events scheduled this month. ### Other FSF and free software events * [EmacsConf: August 29, 2015, 9:30AM-7:30PM, San Francisco, CA, USA](https://www.fsf.org/events/event-20150829-emacsconf) ### Thank GNUs! We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation, but we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have donated $500 or more in the last month. * This month, a big Thank GNU to: * Alvin Khaled * Bill Bogstad * Blue Systems * Charles Birk * Daniel Hoodin * Darrell J Michaud * Dave Beckett * David Johnson * Google * John Storey * Krishna Kunchithapadam * Mirko Luedde * Mohan Noone * Mridul Muralidharan * address@hidden * Robert McDonald * Tyler Green * Ulric Longyear You can add your name to this list by donating at . ### GNU copyright contributions Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us defend the GPL and keep software free. The following individuals have assigned their copyright to the FSF in the past month: * Alexandre Pereira Nunes (GCC) * Jarno Malmari (Emacs) Want to see your name on this list? Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF. ### Take action with the FSF Contributions from thousands of individual members enable the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at . If you're already a member, you can help refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your member number to your email signature like: I'm an FSF member -- Help us support software freedom! The FSF is also always looking for volunteers (). From rabble-rousing to hacking, from issue coordination to envelope stuffing -- there's something here for everybody to do. Also, head over to our campaign section () and take action on software patents, DRM, free software adoption, OpenDocument, RIAA, and more. ### Copyright © 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit .