Last Post - Richard Stallman and Freedom

10:02am 12 Aug 2008 7 comments

Richard Stallman, the man behind Free Software, the GPL and the GNU opus that makes GNU/Linux, is in New Zealand. He was interviewed on Kim Hill's Saturday show (transcript here) and is now en route to Wellington. His programme of events can be found here.

One of the most striking statements from the interview came when Kim asked Richard whether Free Software was good for innovation.  Richard said he didn't care. When asked why, he said:

"Because I want freedom more than I want innovation."

Those words define the philosophy driving Free Software more than anything else I can think of. So whilst your Government is busy legislating and negotiating away your freedoms and you are slavishly queuing up for the latest Apple offering, be thankful that there are a few, like Richard, who are watching your backs. And sometimes maybe even show them you understand what they are doing and appreciate their work.

On that note I am signing off on this blog. Stuff have been very good giving me the opportunity to write about FOSS here. I have had complete freedom to write whatever I pleased here and have been grateful for that. Unfortunately, I simply lack the time to update this site as regularly as it deserves and requires. So, thanks for all your comments, support and criticism. It has been fun. I am not going away and will still pop up occasionally on the NZOSS site and elsewhere.

Free as in Beer is Good, Good Beer is Better

12:50pm 18 Jul 2008 11 comments

All of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) successes come not because of huge marketing budgets, nor because the software has zero costs, but because it is good. Bad FOSS simply doesn't survive; bad commercial software does, because marketeers and advertisers are able to con us into buying the stuff. Don't believe me? Look at the sales of MacDonald's burgers or, to get on topic, most big-selling but awful beers. Advertising is just freedom of speech, yeah right!

My passions are varied, but one that supersedes and pre-dates my interest in FOSS is my belief that NZ people, companies and products have the potential to take on the world in many different ways. Part of this belief may simply be an immigrant's desire to justify leaving one country in favour of another. Whatever, I do know that I constantly see situations on my travels where Kiwis could and do make a positive contribution.

The one exception to this rule has been in beer production. When I first arrived in New Zealand, DB Gold was *the* only vaguely drinkable beer. Sad but true. Mac's shortly came through with a few way better offerings. But, even with the more recent increase in boutique brewers and the big brewers' faux boutique brewing, never have I encountered anything like a decent English bitter, outside England. Forget the imported Speckled Hens and Nukie Broons, they don't come close to the real thing.

So, when Mike Forbes arranged for some Epic Pale Ale  to make a guest appearance at work's "Beer O'Clock" I didn't really take much notice.

But now, take notice. Epic is producing the best beer in NZ. And to be fair, these days that is saying something. Friday night drinks at work has changed a little. We have Epic in stock, but it runs out fast. Various strategies are evolving to ensure a constant supply to EPA drinkers. My current tactic is to ... keep myself well supplied.

A very nasty invasion of privacy

03:43pm 04 Jul 2008 5 comments

I have written in the past about how new Copyright legislation essentially turns global corporates into criminal investigators with very wide ranging powers of snoopage. Here is a very nasty example of what can happen.

Viacom, representing "old media who believe all of us are criminals" have won a court order forcing Google to hand over information on every person who has ever watched a video on Youtube. Think about it. Ostensibly this is part of an ongoing case against Youtube's owners, Google, but why on earth does Viacom need or want this information? I bet they could run same lovely "targeted" campaigns from it - or worse.

So your rights to privacy are trumped by a stoush between to very large and very rich multi-nationals. One of whom at least is under the impression that we are all criminally inclined.

The brands to boycott include can be found here.

More background information on the issue here and here.

Australian open source in good heart

05:33pm 06 Jun 2008 1 comment

Two weeks ago I got to speak at the CeBIT conference held in Sydney's convention centre on Darling Harbour. Very nice it was too. For those that don't know, CeBIT, Hannover, is the premier technology event in the world.  While the Australian version is a fifth of the size, it is significant for our region.  Business, research, government and academia are all represented as exhibitors and also in the forums held in various lecture theatres in the centre.

For the last couple of years CeBIT has included an open source conference, which turned out to be a good opportunity to meet like-minded folk as well as to see what was happening in business and government in Australia

The open source community is, as you would expect, humming.  First of all a big mention should go to OSIA, the "Open Source Industry Australia" group.  This is a similar organisation to the NZOSS but the focus is on business support for FOSS.  What was impressive was the number and variety of businesses associated with that group. What is really good about this organisation is the willingness of individual members to help other members, with introductions, advice or just encouragement.

Some companies worth mentioning include Zac-Ware, who have been successful in producing the worlds first FOSS e-commerce tool, Freeway, that complies with Visa's soon to be implemented rules for online transactions. Unusually for these sorts of systems, Freeway also manages events and subscriptions as well as the more standard product shopping cart business.

Another system is FiveDash by Obol Software. At last it looks as though FOSS is going to have a well financed, solid, internet-based accounting package. While it's still on 0.7 Beta release we have given it a quick once over and have high hopes. Both the above products are released under the GPL. Both companies are looking to make money through supporting their free application, much in the same way Moodle.com does.

That time of year

03:47pm 29 May 2008 0 comments

The problem with success is this, people expect you to repeat it. So, after the huge success of last year's NZ Open Source Awards we were soon being asked when nominations for the 2008 awards were open.

Well, it has to be said the inaugural awards were a lot of hard work for a few people. We had pretty much decided not to hold another award until 2009. However, such has been the interest we changed our minds.

The NZ 2008 Open Source Awards are officially on, and nominations are  being accepted on the fantastically designed Drupal site right now.

Entries close on July 19 and the awards ceremony will be held on September 24.  This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the strength, breadth and depth of free and open source software activity in New Zealand, so please, please do show your support once again and get your nominations in...now.