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Lenovo - schizophrenic Microsoft Windows Vista refund in Germany

lun., 06 oct 2008 22:33:18 +0200

Today I read Hanno's blog entry about his failed Microsoft Windows Vista refund. He used the same formula as I did. He got the answer (rough translation):

We won't refund your windows-license, because we think it's an integral part of the product.

Side not: I got 30 EUR without any answer on my bank account.

As you might know we have a Windows tax refund where we want to summaries all essential information about this topic. (Yes the page is in the first beta ;) ).

If you have information about Windows tax refunds, especially Lenovo with in Germany at the moment, please report your experience to FSFE's German Team under germany@fsfeurope.org.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

Stallman: "Cloud computing is a trap"

mar., 30 sep 2008 17:39:57 +0200

The guardian has an article about "cload computing":

"One reason you should not use web applications to do your computing is that you lose control," he said. "It's just as bad as using a proprietary program. Do your own computing on your own computer with your copy of a freedom-respecting program. If you use a proprietary program or somebody else's web server, you're defenceless. You're putty in the hands of whoever developed that software."

(Read the whole article.)

I also do not understand why so many people give away the control over their data. Especially as the prices of small USB storage is so low...

Let me know your opinions on this on discussion at fsfeurope.org.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

Netzpolitik interview with Georg about 25 years GNU project

jue., 25 sep 2008 21:55:06 +0200

On netzpolitik.org (which covers topics related net politics) is an interview from Markus Beckedahl with Georg. He explains why the GNU project is important, which future challenges he sees, and how FSFE's work looks like. Enjoy the interview (in German).

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

New article on gnu/philosophy: Viral Code and Vaccination

mié., 24 sep 2008 18:34:18 +0200

Yavor informed me that there is a new article on GNU's philosophy page.

The author Bob Chassell writes about why he think it is bad to talk about viral if you talk about strong protecting licenses such as GNU GPL. He suggests to call it vaccinates. I am also using this expression when explaining strong protecting licenses, I think it helps people understanding it better (I first heard it in a speech from Georg iin 2004).

So here is the link to: "Viral Code and Vaccination" by Bob Chassell.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

To celebrate GNU's birthday -- 25% discount on FSFE's merchandise

lun., 22 sep 2008 18:11:48 +0200

Just to let you know: I uploaded this news to FSFE's news page:

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the GNU project FSFE will be offering a 25% discount on merchandise from the 23th September until the 17th October. Please note that this discount does not apply to shipping costs.

So you get 25% on all prices at our order page.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

Free Software BBQ -- Celebrating Software Freedom Day in Berlin

sáb., 20 sep 2008 20:04:04 +0200

Today we celebrated the Software Freedom Day in Berlin. The Fellowship group was part of the group "Free Software Berlin". We had a nice BBQ... but better let me show you some pictures :)

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

[DE] Freie Software: Überleben im Mainstream. Interview mit Shane

sáb., 20 sep 2008 12:25:12 +0200

[For people who cannot read German. There is an interview with Shane which was published on the website of one of the biggest television stations in Austria.]

Heute von der Startseite des ORFs ein Interview mit Shane verlinkt

In einer Zeit, in der selbst Microsoft das Hohe Lied von Open Source anstimmt, scheint es der freien Software an Gegnern und auch an Motivation zu fehlen. ORF.at sprach mit Shane Martin Coughlan, dem Rechtsexperten der Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), über Microsoft, Google Chrome und neue Herausforderungen für freie Entwickler.

Dankeschön an die Wiener Fellowship-Gruppe, die sich um den Vortrag und die Ankündigung u.a. auf ORF gekümmert hat!

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

Germany's national anthem sponsored by Acrobat, Apple, Microsoft and Nullsoft?

mié., 17 sep 2008 17:48:51 +0200

While I was looking for some information on the website of the German government I stumble across a page about Germany's national anthem.

It is kind of sad that they advertise non-free Software companies there: They ask me to install Adobe's flash player, Microsoft Windows' media-player, Apple's Quick Time or Nullsoft's Winamp. Can you imagine signs at the highway saying: "To use this road please use a Chrysler, Hummer or a Toyota. Your Government.

I think it is not ok for the government to advertise the business modells of some companies on their website. Especially I am against the government advertising the business models of non-free software companies. (Perhaps I would understand it if those companies were German or European.)

And you might already guess it: OGG vorbis is not in the list of audio format. I wrote them a comment about this. Let's see what happens.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

New printable information material online

vie., 12 sep 2008 19:17:22 +0200

Probably you have already seen it: We now have our printable information material online. So just print out the ones you think are interesting for your colleagues, fellow students, ... and give them away. If you think we can improve certain leaflets, or miss a specific leaflet, please get in contact with us.

I hope to soon have something comperable for our Fellowship leaflets with all the new improvements we made over the last weeks. One result of the new Fellowship leaflets was that we used an adapted version for the About page.

Special thanks go to Reinhard who invested a lot of time and energy in the new FSFE leaflet generation.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

A lot to do, but we try to do a lot

vie., 12 sep 2008 00:23:33 +0200

Today I followed Christof's invitation to the Fellowship meeting in Berlin. We had a lot of topics today.

We talked about what we want to do at the Software Freedom Day on 20. September. Stephan (from FFII -- one of FSFE's associates) will soon put our plans online.
Next topic was the "Freedom not fear" demonstration in Berlin on 11. October where we will participate. You also see us with the event poster in the picture.
On 1. November there is a Free Software event called BLIT in Potsdam where Grischa and Stephan will organise a cool Free Software island for FSFE and FFII.
Then we brainstormed a bit what we can do on September 24, which is World Day Against Software Patents. Stephan will keep the Berlin team updated about that.
And last but not least Christof informed us about this years FSCONS from 24. to 26. October at the IT-University Gothenburg, which is quite good to reach from Berlin and from my experience more than worth visiting!!!

Afterwards we had some beer and than I wrote this blog entry ;)

Facebook is not cool enough!

vie., 18 jul 2008 10:13:05 +0200

Yesterday I started some search engines to find out more about a guy I read about. I opened the results in tabs and skimmed over them. And then I saw that I also followed a link to facebook and saw this:

So as I am using konqueror it seems facebook really is not cool enough for me and I will not join (I always thought I will not join because of privacy reasons ;) ). Does someone know if this "coolness message" also pops up when using Microsoft Internet Explorer? ;)

Please keep it real with Free Software webbrowsers!

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

No citizen or company should be forced to use non-free software

sáb., 21 jun 2008 09:39:55 +0200

Today stumbled over an article on metamorphosis.org: "EU Competition Commissioner backs open standards in eGovernment":

Also Kroes praised the benefits of open standards: "No citizen or company should be forced or encouraged to choose a closed technology over an open one, through a government having made that choice first."

I am happy that more and more people speak out loud that nobody should be forced to use non-free software. Every person taking this position is one step more towards our goal.

Regarding Open Standards: Read more about our work on Open Standards on our website, read our definition of an Open Standards and sent us your feedback about that on discussion@fsfeurope.org.

--
Matthias Kirschner
Join FSFE's Fellowship and protect your freedom!

[DE] Computerexperten

jue., 19 jun 2008 10:53:41 +0200

Ein Bekannter hatte das Problem, dass er mit seinem Computer (mit einem unfreien Betriebsystem) keine DSL-Internetverbindung mehr herstellen konnte (direkt angeschlossen ohne Router). Auf einer Party meinte jemand zu ihm, dass er Computerexperte sei und es ihm reparieren könnte.

Ich bekam das ganze erst mit, als er den Computer wieder hatte und 250 EUR dafür bezahlt hatte. Das einzige, was er zu seinem 2 Jahre alten Rechner bekam war eine Rechnung. Die "Rechnung" sah wie folgt aus (Rechtschreibung und Zeichensetzung sind orginalgetreu übernommen, Orginalschrift war MS-Comic-Scan):

Am Computer war defekt:

1 das Modem war direkt auf dem Mainboard
drauf sitzt das für den Internetzugang ist
war hinten wo das Internetkabel rein kommt
waren die zacken verbogen /teilweise abgebrochen
also wurde das Modem und ein Mainboard ausgetauscht
Mainboard ist Pentium 4

2.Auf der Festplatte haben Komponenten gefehlt
das führte zu Systemfehlern dadurch konnte kein neues
Betriebssystem Installiert werden da es immer
während des Installieren zum Abbruch Kamm
also wurde eine Samsung Festplatte mit 40 GB eingebaut

3. Betriebssystem mit Windows XP

4. Service Pack 2

5. diverse Treiber ( Ton,Modem,Mainbord)

Softwaer :

6. Tune-up

7. VLC Media Player für Dateiformate
die der Mediaplayer nicht abspielen kann

8. die Fotos wurden kopiert und auf dem Computer mit einem Ordner wieder angelegt

Tja, lachen oder heulen? Ich glaub ich bin für lachen, weil das ist gesünder ;) Ach ja, der Bekannte konnte danach wieder ins Internet... aber ich habe die Vermutung, dass da unbekannte Mächte ihre Hände im Spiel haben.

Short studie about Sustainable Free Software

jue., 19 jun 2008 10:14:40 +0200

Finally I got the chance to read a short-studie about "Sustainable Free Software: From a project to a ongoing action. The example Gpg4win" (in German).

It is really interesting. And it would have been good if I would have read that before my panel discussion (OGG-Theora) at sustainable it conference in Berlin.

So if you are able to read German, take the time and read it!!!

Guidelines for Free System Distributions on gnu.org

jue., 12 jun 2008 17:00:53 +0200

Yavor informed me, that the GNU website has a new article. So read the Guidelines for Free System Distributions and afterwards you can comment FSFE's public discussion lists.