[WSIS CS-Plenary] Opening Ceremony Speaker PCT proposal : Richard Stallman

Thu Nov 6 12:53:05 GMT 2003

Dear Jean-Louis  :
> OK Francis
> George Stallmann is a repectable man as are your suggestions.
> But, what about Linux, GPL, open and/or free software etc if there is still
> no access to any network for billions of people in underserved areas in the
> North and in DCs in the South ?
I totally agree with your preoccupations
Firstly,  I would stress that Free Software does play a significant part
in network infractures, lowering significantly the overall cost
of operation. For example most DNS (and also mail ) servers are running 
either under GNU/Linux or FreeBSD
Secondly, as we suggested, Richard is going to talk about all those 
issues, in most part of his talk, with the help of a text compiled
by the C&T
Only the last part will be devoted to Free Software / Software patents
issues

Friendly regards

Francis
.


> Friendly yours
> Jean-Louis Fullsack
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dr. Francis MUGUET" <muguet at mdpi.org>
> To: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
> Cc: <ct at wsis-cs.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 6:36 PM
> Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Opening Ceremony Speaker PCT proposal : Richard
> Stallman
> 
> 
> 
>>Hello everybody
>>
>> Besides the selection rules that have been just proposed by the C&T
>> for discussions and that of course we fully intend to abide,
>> it has been recognized that the discussion concerning
>> the Opening Ceremony speaker has already started and obviously
>> this choice requires a very broad consensus. Therefore the
>> PCT group is setting forward a proposition for discussions.
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Our propositions is based both
>>on the merits of the speaker
>>as well as the purpose and usefulness of his intervention.
>>
>>Without Richard Stallman, the information society would probably be the
>>dominion of ruthless monopolies, leaving little practical possibilities
>>for any freedom at all. Without the Free Software movement, without the
>>GPL, there would have been probably no GNU/Linux operating systems that
>>now running on the vast majority of Web servers. Richard Stallman is
>>well versed with all the
>>technical, legal, economical and philosophical aspects of the issues of
>>the Civil Society.
>>
>>It is proposed that the first part of his speech (about 2/3 ) should
>>convey the declarations that would have prepared by the various
>>thematics groups of the Civil Society as compiled by the C&T drafting
>>group.
>>
>>In the last part, Richard Stallman should focus on the issue of Free
>>Software and Software patents. As all of you are aware, the fight
>>against software patents is a crucial issue, and a decisive battle is
>>now been fought in Europe that is going to have worldwide consequences.
>>It is proposed that in the name of the CS; Richard Stallman
>>would publicly challenge Mr. Frits Bolkestein, the European
>>Commissioner to accept the decision of the European parliament and
>>not to try to remove the patent directive,
>>as he threatened he would do, from the authority of the European,
>>parliament to put it under the authority of
>>governments as a technocratic re-negotiation of the European Patent
>>Convention, in order to that software patents be approved despite
>>the vote of the parliament.!
>>
>>The exact text from Frits Bolkestein
>>http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/bolkestein/index_en.htm
>>http://swpat.ffii.org/players/bolkestein/index.en.h is :
>>
>>"Now if we fail in our efforts to achieve a harmonization of patent law
>>relating to
>>computer-implemented inventions in the European Union,
>>we may well be confronted with a renegotiation of the European Patent
>>Convention.
>>And if I may be blunt, President, the process of renegotiation of the
>>European Patent Convention
>>would not require any contribution from this parliament. So the
>>situation is clear:
>>there is a single objective but a choice of means. Either we proceed
>>using the community method,
>>or we take a back seat and watch while member states go via the route of
>>an intergovernmental treaty.
>>
>>Such a provocative undemocratic statement shall not
>>be tolerated by the CS. The message is that the Information Society
>>shall not be ruled by technocrats but with respect of the democratic
>>rights. This is a question of basic rights.
>>
>>Therefore the purpose of the end of Richard Stallman intervention should
>>be dual :
>>1/ Help to remove the threat of software patent over Europe and over the
>>world.
>>2/ Reaffirm the rights of the people in front of an arrogant
>>technocracy at the service of special interests.
>>
>>--------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------
>>Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D
>>muguet at mdpi.org   muguet at ensta.fr
>>
>>MDPI Foundation   http://www.mdpi.net
>>
>>World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
>>Civil Society Working Groups
>>Scientific Information :  http://www.wsis-si.org  chair
>>Patents & Copyrights   :  http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
>>------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Plenary mailing list
>>Plenary at wsis-cs.org
>>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary
> 
> 
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-- 

------------------------------------------------------
Francis F. MUGUET LMA/ENSTA
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muguet at ensta.fr   http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet

MDPI Foundation   http://www.mdpi.net
muguet at mdpi.org   http://www.muguet.org

World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
Civil Society Working Group
Scientific Information :  http://www.wsis-si.org  chair
Patents & Copyrights   :  http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
------------------------------------------------------