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Election 2006 (and beyond): Digital Copyright Canada
From: Russell McOrmond <russell_-at-_flora.ca>
To: Universal Access Canada <cpi-ua_-at-_vancouvercommunity.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 12:44:45 -0400 (EDT)
I send this out to the contacts I had from "Theme 8 - Free software".
I felt it might be useful to forward here. It is the same article, but
with all the email addresses removed to avoid them receiving SPAM from the
archives.
---
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
See http://weblog.flora.ca/ for announcements, activities, and opinions
Speaking next in Toronto: Rabble Rumble on Digital Copyright Reform
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/discuss/all?subject=Rabble
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 11:39:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: Russell McOrmond <russell@flora.ca>
To: GlobalCN - Free Software theme -- Alain Ambrosi,
Alain Riguet, Ana Maria Mujica,
Eduardo Mena, Emmanuel Raviart, Emmanuel Raviart,
Felix Stalder, Francis J. Lacoste, Frédéridc Couchet,
Gareth Shearman, Jesse Hirsh, Ken Young,
Natalia Massa, Nicolas Marchildon,
olivier blondeau, omar, Richard Stallman, Robert Guerra,
Valérie Peugeot, Wolfgang Sourdeau
Subject: GlobalCN debriefing
I am back in Ottawa, leaving last night as I was tired and figured I
should try to get some work done today. I just wanted to pass on some
notes to other participants and organizers, from my own perspective, and
to thank the organizers for the invitation.
At the dinner I was asked what I felt about the conference. I was glad
to see "theme 8 - Free Software" added, but otherwise didn't notice much
difference from previous conferences on Community Networks (FreeNet's) I
had been to between 5-10 years ago. There was often the token discussion
of empowering citizen participation in democracy, but far more often
demonstrations of technology and existing technology projects were the
focus. I still wonder if this is more about building "broadband
networks", "cheap onramps to the Information strip-mall" and other such
technologies than about building "Community Networks".
It reminded me of why I left the Freenet movement in Ottawa, and started
my own FLORA.org community network to offer citizen communications tools
that were exclusively Free Software based. One presentation where Chris
Cope spoke about the National Capital Freenet <http://www.ncf.ca/> adding
in a thin-client service to allow people to access Microsoft Office and
Corel Office over their phone lines and servers was an extreme case of
what I felt was the wrong direction for "Community Networks" to be going.
I was looking forward to the round table I was on since I heard about
it. I was hoping to help link together some of the talks about democratic
reform and the Internet with the co-dependence of Free Software and the
Internet. I strongly believe that the democratic renewal potential of the
Internet is tied very directly to the Free Software movement. While I was
able to offer that as a 'statement', there was so little time to back that
statement up. I was not able to discuss the relevant policy areas that
either affects, or is affected by, Free Software.
The importance of communications rights (IE: UNDHR Article 19) with
information and communications technologies (ICT's) for democratic reform
can not be understated. It is from this perspective that I am so strong
on ensuring that the Freedom aspects of Free Software remain a focus in
Community Networks and public policy discussions, and not the so-called
"practical benefits" of Open Source software.
(Article 19 states: "everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through
any media and regardless of frontiers." )
I believe that while the use of the term "Open Source" is sometimes
useful to enter into a conversation, that recognizing the struggle for
basic rights and freedoms in electronic media should be understood as
practical as well. These communications rights are a precondition for
having the legal ability to receive any of these other so-called
"practical benefits".
If there is a summary being done of the events that will then be
published to other participants, please consider ensuring that links from
each of us are offered. This email, or any part, can be included as well.
http://www.flora.ca - my business. My politics,and ethics are a big part
of my business, as can be determined by reading my introductory
page.
http://weblog.flora.ca - my primarily Free Software focused Weblog.
Includes a link to some media attention a group of people I am
involved in. There was an article in Thursday's Ottawa Citizen.
http://www.digital-copyright.ca - ongoing Canadian discussions on
digital copyright reform, made up primarily of Free Software
advocates.
http://www.fsf.org should be linked to help with some of the basics on
this theme.
The hilight of my attending was being able to put some faces to some of
the "email" personalities I had conversations with previously. I had a
great evening/supper conversation with Nicholas and RMS on Thursday, and
conversations with Wolfgang on Friday afternoon before I left back for
Ottawa.
Thanks for the invitation.
---
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
See http://weblog.flora.ca/ for announcements, activities, and opinions
Speaking next in Montreal: "Open Source vs Free Software"
http://weblog.flora.ca/article.php3?story_id=253
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