OSWALD Newsletter Archives (by issue #, click to view)
The Open Source Law Weekly Digest or OSWALD first launched late in 2002. Since then it has been regularly providing updates on all things open source related. The focus of this newsletter is on business, rather than technical developments in open source. Another strong component of the newsletter is IP news, as it is of interest to me and has an effect on open source.
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OSWALD #363 Period ending 22 June 2010
Welcome to the Open Source Law Weekly Open Source Digest (OSWALD)
A comparatively quiet period all things considered. The FSF has a campaign running against ACTA and there's an interesting story about Iceland setting up a WikiLeaks. Perhaps that's in return for the bad time the EU has been giving the Icelanders recently?
>From my blog: http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/creative-commons-australia-v3-0-licences-go-live/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/iinet-and-the-sinking-of-the-nbn/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/words-in-copyright-act-vs-time/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/patent-war-of-all-against-all/
Verbatim distribution with attribution ok.
Other distribution - email me.
Regards
Brendan
Brendan Scott
Open Source Law
***** Other
WikiLeaks proposal for ‘new media haven’ passed by Icelandic parliament http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/editors/2010/06/17/wikileaks-proposal-for-new-media-haven-passed-by-icelandic-parliament/
The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI), proposed by whistleblowing website Wikileaks and Icelandic MPs, has been passed by the Icelandic parliament. The IMMI calls for better laws in the country to protect journalists and their sources, which has the potential to create a haven for investigative journalists in Iceland.
***** Government/Policy
Why The Firm, Simple Declaration Against ACTA http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/acta/why-acta-declaration
ACTA (1), a treaty designed to attack the rights of computer users in some 40-odd countries -- and others later -- is encountering increasing opposition. ACTA threatens, in a disguised way, to punish Internet users with disconnection if they are accused of sharing, and requires countries to prohibit software that can break Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), also known as digital handcuffs (2).
This Mac devotee is moving to Linux http://www.salon.com/technology/dan_gillmor/2010/06/20/from_mac_to_linux
But this is a disconnect with reality. Central control, no matter how well-intentioned, is itself the problem, not the solution. The "enlightened dictator" is fiction. And dangerous.
NZICT - unwarranted influence on Software Patents? http://davelane.name/blog/dave/nzict-unwarranted-influence-software-patents
A few weeks ago Minister Simon Powers came out in support of the Commerce Commission select committee's recommendation that, based on the evidence presented by a number of submitters (including my company, Egressive), computer software should be excluded from patenting. As you can imagine, I was overjoyed, as were most (if not all) of the members of the NZOSS.
Release of IFOSSLR Vol 2, Issue 1
The next edition of the International Free and Open Source Software Law Review is out [disclosure, I'm on the editorial committee] and it’s a great read. I can wholeheartedly recommend the articles in this edition.
***** Patent/CR/DRM News+Policy
Political Excesses - Or: Let Schumpeter's Creative Destruction Do Its Work http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/06/19/1239233/German-Publishers-Want-Monopoly-On-Sentences
"You think copyright can't get any more draconian? Think again. In Germany, newspaper publishers are lobbying for 'a new exclusive right conferring the power to monopolize speech e. g. by assigning a right to re-use a particular wording in the headline of a news article anywhere else without the permission of the rights holder.
Amazon gets a patent on "Social Networking" http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,739,139.PN.&OS=PN/7,739,139&RS=PN/7,739,139
Court appoints mediator to facilitate settlement in Jammie Thomas-Rasset case http://copyrightsandcampaigns.blogspot.com/2010/06/court-appoints-mediator-to-facilitate.html
***** Applications/Gadgets
OpenVBX Provides Google Voice-like Features for Enterprise http://www.linuxpromagazine.com/Online/News/Twilio-Releases-OpenVBX
Open source telephony service for businesses allows drag-and-drop call routing, text-to-speech, voice transcription and voicemail forwarding.
PocketBook 301+ Comfort review http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/reviews/pocketbook-301-comfort/
If you've never had the pleasure of seeing a half-decent eReader first hand, your first few minutes with E Ink is quite an eye opener.
Rugged Android Phone http://www.handlewithlinux.com/rugged-android-phone
The phone is not only very rugged and watertight, it's also equipped with all the features you would expect from a modern mobile phone plus everything else.
Android Video Terminal http://www.handlewithlinux.com/android-video-terminal
UMEC has several versions available, depicted above is the CU-702 which is "just" a video terminal running android 2. 1. The terminal is Voip enabled and has a 7 inch touch screen.
Beagle Board Modules Offer Open Source Options http://www.pddnet.com/news-beagle-board-modules-offer-open-source-options-061710/
When paired with the Lithium Ion BeagleJuice module, the BeagleBoard acts like a handheld tablet computer with Linux and capable of running the Android operating system. A line of sensors - including accelerometer, GPS, light sensor and heart beat sensor - are easily connected using the BeagleMod prototyping board.
Bluecherry releases a Linux MPEG-4 compression card http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1686511/bluecherry-releases-linux-compression-card
"This effectively puts Bluecherry as the first company to produce a multi-input MPEG-4 hardware compression GPL driver written around the Linux kernel's API," the outfit claims. The driver was originally intended for Bluecherry's surveillance software but the outfit thinks other open source applications might make use of it.
***** Reports
Google code hints at Chrome OS Dellbook http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2010/06/15/dell_nod_in_chromium_os_repository/
Dell isn't among the official Chrome OS partners named by Google, but as noticed by Download Squad, the code repository for Chromium OS -- the open source incarnation of Chrome OS -- includes some rather conspicuous bits that point to Dell as an early manufacturer.
HP: The Linux distributor? http://blogs.computerworld.com/16342/hp_the_linux_distributor
But, no major OEM (original equipment manufacturer) has had a house-brand Linux. . . until now. HP has recently bought not one, but two Linux distributions.
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization: Cheaper than VMware and Microsoft? http://www.thevarguy.com/2010/06/16/red-hat-pitches-virtualization-prices-vs-vmware-microsoft/
The chatter will involve Chuck Dubuque -- a product marketing manager at Red Hat. At the summit, Dubuque is expected to describe how traditional customers typically spend about $5,000 to $7,000 per server for virtualization, with Red Hat apparently charging significantly less for RHEV.
Marten Mickos says the cloud won't kill open source http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/62580
Mickos (pictured right) says he approached Eucalyptus and asked to be a part of the company. He didn't want to move into cloud computing while abandoning his open source roots.
Open source not immune to ERP vendor consolidation trend (Compiere) http://fscavo.blogspot.com/2010/06/open-source-not-immune-to-erp-vendor.html
The enterprise software vendor consolidation trend has now reached the open source corner of the market, with Consona's announcement that it is acquiring Compiere, Inc.
Dell back-tracks on Linux being safer than Windows http://blogs.computerworld.com/16367/dell_back_tracks_on_linux_being_safer_than_windows
The explanation for both statements has also changed a bit. When the statement was stronger, Dell's explanation read, "The vast majority of viruses and spyware written by hackers are not designed to target and attack Linux. " Now, it's been watered down to read, "According to industry reports, Ubuntu is unaffected by the vast majority of viruses and spyware. "
***** Snippets
Open Source Software Gaining Acceptance (Opinion) http://www.govtech.com/gt/765252?topic=117671
Firefox Losing Foothold on Linux Distros? http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7804
MeeGo 1.0 Review http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/software_and_services/meego/1_0/349772
Improving The Linux Desktop? Why, It’s Elementary http://www.linux-mag.com/cache/7811/1.html
SCO: So die already! http://www.itworld.com/software/111115/sco-so-die-already
Canonical's (Possibly) Excellent Adventure http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Canonicals-Possibly-Excellent-Adventure-70225.html?wlc=1276883055&wlc=1277204751
Are the shoulders of Linux groaning under the weight of the world? http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/locutus/are-the-shoulders-of-linux-groaning-under-the-weight-of-the-world-39459
OpenOffice at the crossroads http://www.h-online.com/open/features/OpenOffice-at-the-crossroads-1023702.html
Linux: "Free" Software vs "You Get What You Pay For" http://blog.eracc.com/2010/06/20/linux-free-software-vs-you-get-what-you-pay-for/
The Party of Gno http://www.linux-mag.com/cache/7806/1.html
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