[Linux-aus] Re: [Osia-discuss] [Fwd: Re: [xxxxxxx] FW: Re: S.A. Parliament - Ubuntu Matter of Interest]

[Janet Hawtin]

On 12/4/06, Brent Wallis <brent.wallis at gmail.com> wrote:

There are two threads becoming merged here.

Thread 1 is:
The Family First Party has approached some people in South Australia
asking them to help in making a matter of interest speech to
parliament and to provide some ubuntu CDs. Paul and I have done that.
The Family First Party team asked for the draft speech to be sent to
the LinuxSA list so that people could comment and so that they could
be aware and make a booking to go.

Thread 2 is:
Two responses forwarded from the ACS list in response to the draft speech.

> - Don't lobby 1 party over another ...especially those that are
> deliberately decisive with narrow policy platforms. As much as they
> tell you they will take up your cause, they will only use it if there
> is a POPULAR story that relates to their own agenda...for it to work,
> you must lobby consistently, to every party, ALWAYS!

If a party/person/group/business comes to you asking about how to
promote free software what is the appropiate response?

> - Using any of the following phrases in you responses will cause
> failure before you start:
> >in this instance, but those people in ICT who
> > havent a clue about open source, or at least the clue they do have is
> > totally bloody misguided.  These are people who can and do advocate for
> > ICT solutions within their employment sphere.

This is a part of thread 2 and certainly not a part of any dialogue
between Family First and the Linux community. It is a piece of
conversation between an anonymous person in an ACS list Brenda and
OSIA. It probably isnt within earshot of the original poster at this
point and so is as Glen says probably not worth worrying about.
If this is a representative ACS opinion and deserves followup then it
probably is an issue, if its not then its not. Your call folks.

> ...whilst I agree with your sentiments, I have found that an "arm
> around the shoulder" with REAL WORLD examples and runs on the board,
> are the things that work best.
> eg: Hey why don't you guys look at what Spain has done in their
> schools with FOSS....

Which is what I have been aiming to put together in the supporting papers.
Real people happy to talk about open source software in South
Australia and some examples from people who sent me information about
their projects.
Another project hungry for quality input is the LocalFoss Podcast
project, Linux World recently promoted Robyn Manning and her quest to
produce a php course, adding some more OSIA voices to the buzz would
be great.

> - Remember that things worthwhile take time...
> > If we dont refute their misconceptions and educate them, it will take longer for
> > FOSS to permeate into those areas that we would want them to be.

> Take the time you think it will take and "multiply by 20"... this is
> the way things work...it has taken YEARS and will take many more, and
> if you ever get disheartened, then do what I said on this list a
> couple of years back..."ponder what has happened the last 10 years and
> how far we have come..." I gaurantee you will smile for a long time
> afterwards...:-)

Brenda does seem to have her work cut out for her.
I am not in a position to understand how the conversations about IT
are shaped but I do understand that Brenda is concerned about the risk
of misinformation on open source technologies.

We have a new DMCA, we have sectors which are effectively closed shops
technology wise. There is a pro MS policy for schools which makes no
sense in a DMCA context which means that 'Looking under the hood'
learning (Leon Brooks)
is legally risky. I can see that our advisory boards will have a
challenging job to figure out what are safe technologies for the next
few years with DMCA and sunset clauses etc. It has to be a point in
time where being active and supportive of people taking their first
look at alternatives is a useful thing.

I have been trying in my work to be supportive of all partys/groups
who ask about FOSS although I must admit I have found the DMCA process
saddening.

Janet