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News Archive for 2003
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15 December 2003
(Geneva) From December 10th until 12th, 2003 the World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) took place in Geneva,
Switzerland, adopting on United Nations level a Declaration of
Principles and Plan of Action towards a global information
society.
01 December 2003
(Geneva) During the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS),
the Civil Society Patents, Copyright, Trademarks (PCT) Working Group
is holding a workshop "Free Software, Free Society" with a group of
top speakers, including Richard Stallman and Lawrence Lessig.
The workshop will take place December 10th, 2003 from
17:00-20:00 in the Palexpo building in Geneva, Switzerland.
20 October 2003
A patent gives the owner a temporary monopoly on an invention, preventing economic
appropriation from third parties. Article 52 of the 1973 Munich Convention excludes
the patentability of computer programs.
01 October 2003
On the 24th of September the European Parliament voted for the first time
the new directive on the patentabilitiy of computer-implemented inventions.
The text (passed with 364 votes in favour, 153 against and 33 abstentions)
includes several amendments that hold back the threat of unlimited patentability,
envisaged by MEP Arlene McCarthy's initial report.
01 October 2003
Accepting the invitation for the 2003 edition of SMAU (Milan, 2-6 October)
by Firenze Tecnologia and Media Innovation Unit, Free Software Foundation
Europe will take part in the "Free Software, Patents and Information
Technology. The upcoming future" meeting, on 3rd October at 14.30, at
Sala Ambasciatori, Palazzo Cisi (2° stage).
24 September 2003
In its plenary vote on the 24th of September, the European Parliament
approved the proposed directive on "patentability of
computer-implemented inventions" with amendments that clearly restate
the non-patentability of programming and business logic, and uphold
freedom of publication and interoperation.
22 September 2003
The Italian Government signed the "Government Security Program" agreement with
Microsoft; moreover, the "Microsoft Partners in Learning" initiative aims at providing 1.500
Italian schools with discounted software, recycled hardware and less restrictive licenses.
16 July 2003
FSF Europe, Associazione Software Libero and PLIO (OpenOffice.org
Italian Language Project) sign an open letter to Letiza Moratti (Italian
Minister for Education, University and Research), concerning the agreement
between the Ministry and Sun Microsystems about the adoption of StarOffice
in Italian schools. The authors acknowledge a step towards interoperability
and the use of free and documented formats, furthermore they ask the
Ministry to equally promote the OpenOffice.org suite, whose truly free
licence provides broader rights to its users.
12 July 2003
(Karlsruhe)
From July 15th to 18th, a preparative conference towards the World
Summit on the Information Society will be held in Paris, at which the
future and destination of the information- and science- society shall
be discussed as requested by the UN- General Assembly.
As a nominee from the coordinating circle of the German Civil Society
for the WSIS, Georg Greve, president of the FSF Europe will take part
in the meeting as a member of the German governmental delegation.
Abonneer u op onze e-mailupdates. Onze experts informeren u over het laatste nieuws, evenementen, activiteiten en hoe u kunt bijdragen. (Ons privacbeleid)
10 July 2003
FSF Europe was heard by the Commission on free software in the public
administration, set up by the Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology.
Two documents are available: a transcription of the presentation held by the FSF
Europe during the hearing, and the answers given by the FSF Europe to the
questionnaire submitted by the Commission.
24 June 2003
(Milano) Last weekend, the Free Software Foundation Europe held its
2003 general assembly in Milano, Italy. After two years of
operation, it was time to draw a first summary and also hold
elections.
21 June 2003
The 2003 general assembly of the FSF Europe in Milano, Italy on June
21st 2003 seems like a good opportunity to briefly recap some of the
activities during the first two operational years of the FSF Europe.
02 June 2003
Nadat de Free Software Foundation Europe werd
aangekondigd met de "Intentieverklaring - Free Software Foundation Europe"
[1], een document waarvoor alle Vrije Softwarestrijders
uit Europa werden uitgenodigd om mee te werken aan het creëren van een
gemeenschappelijke visie, startte de FSFE officieel op 10 maart 2001. De
hele procedure voor het opstarten van de FSFE werd voltooid op 24 april
2001.
31 May 2003
Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology launched project "Vola
con Internet" ("Fly with the internet"), setting apart
93 million Euros for the IT training of Italian young people turning 16
in 2003.
FSF Europe, which is developing and promoting free information
technology for a better society, agrees on the goals of the project,
and asks the Government that investments do not discriminate Free Software,
which laid the foundations for the development of the internet.
24 March 2003
Uncorrect and misleading information is being given to the
160,000 enrolled into For TIC (Training Plan for Information and
Communication Technology Teachers).
FSF Europe Italy, heard by the Italian Government Commission on free
software in the public administration, asked Minister Moratti not to
hinder schools from adopting free software, which is more suitable than
proprietary software to both teachers and students.
19 March 2003
FSF founder and GNU Project leader will attend the
"Liberi e binari. Software libero, movimenti sociali e diritto
internazionale" conference, taking place on March 20th 2003 at
9.30am, at the Centro Congressi dell'Università di Roma
"La Sapienza", via Salaria 113, Rome.
The following subjects will be discussed during the day:
national laws on copyright and licenses in the globalisation age;
free software, copyright and proprietary licenses; free software as
a goal and as a tool for democratic transnational movements;
free software programmers and cyber-activists: hackers vs
crackers.
11 February 2003
Vrije Software — het GNU/Linux besturingssysteem in het bijzonder
— en de FSF Europa raken de laatste tijd steeds vaker op de politieke
agenda. Dit artikel probeert de brede economische, sociale en politieke
voordelen te beschrijven die Vrij Software voor Europa en de Europese landen te
bieden heeft. Het zal tevens een beter inzicht geven in de werking van de FSF
Europa.
08 February 2003
Press-release of the Free Software Foundation: "Brussels,
Belgium - Saturday, February 8, 2003 - The Free Software Foundation
(FSF) bestowed today its fifth annual FSF Award for the Advancement of
Free Software. FSF President and founder, Richard Stallman, presented
the award to Professor Lawrence Lessig for promoting understanding of
the political dimension of free software, including the idea that
'code is law'. Lessig has also promoted ideas similar to free
software in other related fields."
03 February 2003
Press-release of the FSF Europe: "The Free Software
Foundation Europe is proud to announce the first publicly
available version of its Fiduciary
Licence Agreement (FLA); an agreement that will help securing
the legal stability of Free Software by allowing the FSF Europe to
act as the fiduciary for Free Software authors and projects."
Abonneer u op onze e-mailupdates. Onze experts informeren u over het laatste nieuws, evenementen, activiteiten en hoe u kunt bijdragen. (Ons privacbeleid)
30 January 2003
FSF Europe press release:
"On the occasion of the American Microsoft Corporation President's speech
at the sala Zuccari, Free Software Foundation Europe offers the Senators a
short introductory note on the subject of free software, in order to help
lawmakers, while respecting their free mandate, to acknowledge different
approaches to technology."
26 January 2003
FSF Europe press release:
"On January 31st, President Silvio Berlusconi will be asking Bill Gates for advice about
technological modernisation of our country; we invite him to ask us too."
17 January 2003
FSF Europe press release:
"Microsoft grants to Governments the right to watch (but not to touch)
the source code of their software. Italian Free Software community is
very critical of this fact."