[GNUz] [FOSS, Science, and Public activism]

[Rik Tindall]

Good one.

Jim Cheetham wrote:
> Found this out on the net; thought it might be on-topic here.
> 
> -jim
> 
> The values of freedom and openness are crucial to understanding 
> itself, so that civilization and public welfare now depend on 
> them, as I argue below.  These values may find their best 
> expression in the free and open source software (FOSS) movement, 
> and the foresightful example of FOSS developers should now be
> beneficially applied to many other disciplines in the context of a
> global and public Internet.
<many snips>

A lot to this..

> Some of you will know that I am the lead developer for the
> GNU-Darwin distribution.  GNU-Darwin has a FOSS operating system,
> which is getting alot of press these days.  Here is an example
> 
> How Apple and Microsoft are advancing desktop Linux
> http://www.desktopLinux.com/news/ns7294331817.html
> 
> I see the article as counter-productive against building a FOSS
> coalition that includes democracy, freedom, and public access 
> activists, Apple, GNU-Darwin, GNU, and GNU/Linux all linked
> together in spectrum.
> 
> It is important to alert the whole FOSS community that Darwin
> cannot be classified as a free or open source operation system
> as of the Darwin-8 revision, because AppleACPIplatform-39 which
> is required to boot the system is proprietary.  It is notable that
> only the current version of Darwin from Apple is a non-free OS.
> GNU-Darwin has a free version, an earlier revision that includes
> the source code.  It is FOSS, and we call upon Apple to maintain
> Darwin as such, as it has been in the past.  We hope that the
> current situation with the kernel and ACPI driver will soon be
> remedied so that Darwin will continue as a FOSS OS.
> 
> 
> In addition the kernel (xnu) has been taken proprietary in the
> recent revisions.  We are not asking for Apple to give away such
> things, but rather to continue maintaining Darwin OS as FOSS, which
> it already was. 
> 
> After repeated attempts by many FOSS developers to get this
> situation remedied, nothing has happened.  It is now time for us to
> better use the measures at our disposal in order to assure that
> Darwin OS remains free and open.  If you are unhappy that xnu and 
> the boot drivers have not been released, I would encourage you to
> spread your dissatisfaction to other forums, so that Apple will take
> notice and commit to a workable free and open Darwin OS from now on.  
> 
> 
> One of the primary reasons for founding GNU-Darwin was to help people
> to put Microsoft behind them,  and it is definitely possible to do it
> now.  You have many resources at your disposal to help you leave
> Microsoft behind.  Look at the link below to see what you can do
> with free software.  Apple, GNU-Darwin, GNU.org, and GNU/Linux will
> all help, and we are largely all helping together, because we have a
> shared foundation of free software.
> 
> http://www.gnu-darwin.org/gdc/
> 
> Microsoft is only one example.  That is why we are so insistent that
> Apple keep true to free and open source software principles.  We
> should ultimately try to leave all proprietary software behind us, so
> that we can participate fully in the freedom and openness of the
> internet culture and public domain.  What more do we need, when we
> have such a rich store of information and so many capable people at
> our sides?
> 
> 
> The principles of FOSS and scientific inquiry converge.  In
> practical terms, how else can you know is what happening in your
> experiments?  Free and open source software, open standards, best
> promote the scientific endeavor by mirroring its method, but also
> they assure that the work is accessible to the public.
>  
Work we must do.
> 
> In summary, Freedom and openness are now the bedrock of our
> civilization and public welfare depends on these values, so that we 
> should actively engage ourselves in preserving and making them happen.
> In keeping with these principles it is crucial to note that there are
> exceptions to etiquette, otherwise free expression will be overly
> channeled, damped, and ultimately suppressed in our forums.  This
> notion of courtesy will certainly receive additional consideration,
> but meanwhile, let us together get to work on the activism now.  

A remedy for mounting cynicism!?!

Cheers
-- 
Rik