[Fsuk-manchester] Re: DRM protest and introduction

[Nigel Rolland]

hello

I am Nigel and I am a Debian home user, I have been using free software since 
2004.

After attending an install workshop run by James Wallbank from Sheffield which
was held at the basement social centre as a part of the Futuresonic 2004 
festival, I gained the confidence to ditch windows and install Mandriva 
Linux.

I have since moved to Debian and I have never looked back, for me free 
software is a liberating and enabling idea as well as being far superior 
software to Microsoft.

I work as a Housing manager for a small Tenant management Organisation in 
Harpurhey North manchester, unfortunately we have to use proprietary Software 
as we are contracted to use the Comino (Civica) database systems used by 
Manchester City Council and other Social Housing Agencies in the city.

I spend most of my spare time in political activities, I am an active member 
of the Green Party and several single issue campaigns and local community 
organisations.

I recently sent out a mailing about the DRM protests in London and manchester 
to several different green Party mailing lists and unfortunately I received a 
few negative replies from people who either did not understand the issues 
involved in DRM or do not sympathise with the campaign against DRM.

One of these replies from a person called Richard was posted onto the mailing 
list by Peter Colton who is a long term associate and close friend of mine 
after I had forwarded it to Peter to help me to respond to the comments in 
the email.

I am sorry if the posting of this email onto the list (out of context) has 
caused any confusion to members of the mailing list.
Thanks to Josh and Noah for your comments which have been
very useful to me in responding to negative comments about the anti DRM 
protest.

I will be at the protest and will try to bring some placards/ banners as well 
as a loud megaphone so that we can make some noise outside the BBC

In Solidarity

Nigel Rolland