Free Software Licensing¶
A German court has asked the ECJ to clarify whether or not a company can sell second-hand versions of downloaded business software in a case involving software company Oracle.
TechnoLlama speculates that Microsoft has realised that its Kinect is the first in what will be the future of computer interaction, comparing it to the breakthrough that mouse was. Therefore he concludes Microsoft is tolerating OpenKinect (Free Software drivers for Kinect) in order to crowd-source the early development so that the community will manage to create applications that will drive the technology forward.
Free Software Business¶
Network World: Yahoo to open-source cloud-serving engine
the Inquirer: Archos announces record revenue for 2010
Forbes: Asus Brings Five Android Devices To China In Bid For Billions Of New Customers
CNet: Symbian is here to stay, says Nokia
the H Online: Nokia and open source – a trial by fire
the Inquirer: Microsoft gets the US ITC to investigate Tivo
OpenSource.com: How does open source affect company culture?
ConsortiumInfo.com: Best Practices in Open Source Foundation Governance – Part I
Software Patents¶
CSR, which specialises in single-chip Bluetooth devices, has ended its dispute with the licensing company WiLan over patents in a out of court settlement. WiLan is licensing its patents on for use by companies like Cisco, Nokia and Samsung.
- the Inquirer: British chip firm CSR ends wireless patent battle
- Reuters: Wi-LAN settles lawsuit with CSR
Copyright and Other Legal Act Reforms¶
A European Parliament majority approved a free trade agreement with Korea with strong provisions on intellectual property rights protection, according to Robert Stury, rapporteur of the lead EP Committee on the dossier. It is reported to be similar to ACTA in many ways.
Government and Free Software Policies¶
Computer World UK: UK Independent Review of "IP" and Growth
The City University London’s Centre for Health Informatics [CHI] launched Health Informatics research programme and policy challenge paper to identify how National Health Service's IT services can be improved and made more cost-effective. It states as it goals: open standards, open source software, open systems interfaces, and agile development.
- OSOR: UK: Open systems towards improving NHS IT
- the H Online: Open source and standards encouraged in the NHS
- FSFE: FSFE welcomes paper calling for Free Software in the NHS
Recent 80-page study by the Ministry for Public Administration [MJU] shows Slovenia's administration could by 2015 run on 80% of all desktops Free Software and displays a step-by-step plan how this could be achieved.
- SloTech : Slovenska državna uprava gre na odprto kodo [in Slovenian]
- SloTech: Odmevi in odzivi na študijo prehoda državne uprave na odprto kodo [in Slovenian]
OSOR: NL: Three nominees for the ‘Open call for tenders of the year’
OSOR: ES: Donostia-San Sebastián City Council installs open source document management system
OSOR: UK: Land Registry deploys open source data management platform
the Open Sourceror: Open Source with the Home Office and the British Computing Society
Open Standards¶
ITWriting: Microsoft Open XML embarrassment: spaces go missing between words
Other interesting links¶
This months in EDRi's EDRi-gram the topics were: Hungary amends its controversial Media Law; EESC condemns body scanners as a breach of fundamental rights; The French supreme court recognizes hosting status of Web 2.0 services; The US pressures the EU to pass ACTA before the end of 2011; German law on Internet blocking challenged in Constitutional Court; Polish civil society stirs up debate on Internet freedom; France: Loppsi 2 adopted – Internet filtering without court order; Is the EU going to have a new common patent law?; European Privacy & Human Rights 2010; ENDitorial: Internet blocking – EP opts for leadership over populism
The Necessitas team – a Free Software community – releases its first alpha of Qt for Android. Right now this project is not (yet?) endorsed by either Nokia or Google. It's nice to see something positive concerning Qt after all these black scenarios lately :)
- Slashdot: First Alpha of Qt For Android Released
- KDE.news: Qt Everywhere: Community Android Port Announces Alpha Release
the Guardian: Liberation by software
the Register: First details on EC data protection action against UK revealed
The US District Court order prevents Motorola from transferring a range of IP to Nokia Siemens, including interface specs, software and code for wireless products, configuration documentation and tools, any information relating to Huawei strategy, performance data; and that all Motorola staff due to be transferred with the sale be prevented from revealing Huawei information
Sony is caught in a class action case in the US because of its removal of OtherOS (basically GNU/Linux) support in Playstation 3's firmware. The Inquirer has a very short summary, while Groklaw goes into the legal nitty gritty of this case.
- the Inqurirer: Sony faces allegations of US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act breach
- Groklaw: What's Happening in the Class Action Against Sony About Removing OtherOS?
FreedomBox Foundation is started. Its aim is to help organize and coordinate the many current freedom box development effort. Freedom Box is the name we give to a personal server running a free software operating system, with free applications designed to create and preserve personal privacy. Freedom Box software is particularly tailored to run in "plug servers," which are compact computers that are no larger than power adapters for electronic appliances. Located in people's homes or offices such inexpensive servers can provide privacy in normal life, and safe communications for people seeking to preserve their freedom in oppressive regimes.
VOX EU: Open vs closed source software: The quest for balance
hook out → study time