[fsf-community-team] Hi Everyone - Brandon L from Canada

[Brandon Lozza]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Brandon Lozza. I'm 25 years old and I live in Ontario, Canada. I've been keeping up with free software for almost ten years. A lot of different news topics interest me including the Mono debate. I follow a lot of different news sites such as Slashdot, Digg, Lxer, Distrowatch, Osnews, and Boycott Novell. I've been keeping tabs on companies or individuals who try to exploit the technical superiority usually offered by free software by using different terms such as "open source" or "open core". I also run my own blog (pwnage.ca) where I try to keep people up to date on various issues I read on the net (and it's working too because I was featured on boycott-boycottnovell, an attack site). When Linus bashed us for being non-pragmatic (literally calling us extremist), I wrote an article titled "Sorry Linus, Pragmatism is a disease".

I've already read the "Free Software Definition", "Words to Avoid", "Open Source Misses The Point" (I often Link this one actually). I agree with the Free Software Foundation 100% on the points they make. In addition to this reading material, I've also witnessed many of Richard Stallman's talks on the internet. The most recent talk that comes to mind is the one he did in Calgary Alberta. My friends in real life call me a religious zealot, often because they attempt to get me to run some proprietary application which has some feature not found elsewhere. I always send them to www.fsf.org to read up.

 * Excerpt: Richard Stallman started the FSF in order to promote
open source software like the Linux operating system, as an
alternative to expensive software like Windows.

Hi, I would just like to point out that  Richard Stallman started the FSF in order to promote Free Software and the GNU Operating System. The Linux kernel was added on top of the GNU stack at the very end and the whole operating system should be referred to as "GNU/Linux". His purpose did not directly deal with Windows, but all proprietary software in general including the Unix operating system.

  * Excerpt: Now with cloud computing and web-based applications,
even Linux users can use the same software as everyone else, through
their browsers. With other popular programs like Skype and Adobe Flash
producing Linux versions, the Linux desktop may finally be catching
on!

Cloud computing and web-based applications might seem like a good idea but they can be dangerous at the same time. Often there is no way for the user to obtain his four important freedoms. The user's data is also at the mercy of whichever company, organization or individual is hosting their files. It would be a much better idea to keep those files on their computer while running free software. This way they can always be guaranteed to have access to their data. Besides, why do users need to store all their data "in the cloud" when hard disk drives keep getting cheaper (and faster) ?

* Excerpt: When combined with the other chapters that include
statutory damages, search and seizure powers for border guards,
anti-camcording rules, and mandatory disclosure of personal
information requirements, it is clear that there is no bigger
intellectual property issue today than the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade
Agreement being negotiated behind closed doors this week in Korea.

The ACTA is a very dangerous agreement that could force participating countries to enact draconian laws similar to those that already exist in the United States of America. It has been shown that such laws will be used unfairly and will be frequently abused. Such negotiations should have public input and should not be negotiated behind closed doors. 

Thanks for reading,

Brandon Lozza

Volunteer