@webmink@meshed.cloud
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webmink

@webmink@meshed.cloud

OSI Standards director · Meshed Insights CEO · Geek-Nerd · Cat servant.

On the Internet since 1987 (via BBSes) · Prior Fediverse: identi.ca from 2008; mastodon.cc from 2017. Old posts are auto-deleted.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

webmink, to opensource
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

What has driven open source to become part of 75% of all software and drive nearly €100 bn of GDP in Europe? I suggest it's mechanisms that lead to developer confidence and that the effects are stochastic, not deterministic.

https://the.webm.ink/open-source-is-powered-by-stochastic-confidence

webmink, to opensource
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

The new direction for @tdforg continues, with the hiring of a second developer to the staff. Everything used to be tendered to the community, but in the context of the ongoing hostility towards businesses gridlocking the tendering this move makes good sense to make sure donors' money is spent within the legal time limits.

https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2023/07/04/welcome-michael-weghorn-new-developer-at-tdf/

webmink, to RedHat
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

"When executed properly, downstream rebuilds provide tremendous value and are a tremendous asset to upstream projects. @almalinux aims to deliver the best possible outcomes; for the broader open-source community, for our upstream, and the Enterprise Linux ecosystem as a whole."

https://almalinux.org/blog/our-value-is-our-values/

webmink, to random
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

The UK's is a threat to everyone, not just British citizens, because it attempts to ban viable end-to-end in the name of "protecting children", a favourite wrapper for authoritarians.

I signed an @openrightsgroup letter explaining this to the government.

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/open-letter-protect-encrypted-messaging/

vowe, to random German

Ukraine runs out of popcorn

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@vowe
Here's where it all went. https://twitter.com/EvaTrmx86qc7r/status/1672535190181117954?s=20

webmink, to random
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

If a gains the force of law in Europe, it is not entitled to copyright protection and must be freely available. Massive.

https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2023-06/cp230110en.pdf

Well done @carlmalamud - again.

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@doc
No, this is just loosening the mortar ready to remove another brick from the wall.

@carlmalamud

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@carlmalamud
Yeah, I'm following and have pretty much since you started. I am loosening the mortar in a different place (the impact of intentionally-placed SEPs) but appreciate your work.

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@timbray
Standard-essential patents.
https://the.webm.ink/seps-cut-both-ways

@carlmalamud

webmink, to opensource
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

"Activists have found this discussion frustrating, but kept the nature and tenure of these discussions as an “open secret” until now because we all had hoped that Red Hat's behavior would improve. Recent events show that the behavior has simply gotten worse, and is likely to get even worse."

https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2023/jun/23/rhel-gpl-analysis/

webmink, to opensource
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

We need apply social framing to if we are to address the issues we see around sustainability, ethical use and corporate annexation of our movement.

https://the.webm.ink/getting-back-to-a-social-frame

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@andypiper Ah yes, I have them set to auto-delete after 21 days. I'll remove them, thanks.

webmink, to random
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

"The white British population are certainly not the indigenous people of the British Isles. They are the descendants of immigrants who arrived on boats."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/19/ancient-britons-stonehenge-killers-plague-britain-migration

neil, to legal

Is this a bad time to say:

"If you're asked to sign an #NDA (non-disclosure agreement) / confidentiality agreement, take the time to read it thoroughly, and understand exactly what its impact is on you.

There are myriad ways that an NDA can trip you up so, while they definitely have justified uses, treat them with appropriate care and caution.

There's no such thing as 'it's just an NDA'."

?

#lawfedi #lawyers

webmink,
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

@neil
I have a balanced and fair lawyer-written confidentiality clause in my standard engagement contract and am only interested in being bound by that. If we can't get to that stage I probably don't want to know or share secrets.

webmink, to opensource
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

"Open source software is software released under a license that — by community consensus — grants all rights necessary to use, improve, share and monetise the software in any way and for any purpose subject only to conditions that can be reasonably satisfied without negotiation with the licensors."

https://the.webm.ink/defining-open-source


@osi @EU_Commission @EC_OSPO

webmink, to random
@webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

The Flying Scotsman steamed through our local station this evening.

Video of a green steam train hauling classic red carriages steaming through a UK station.

webmink, to medical
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For all of you busy preparing manifestos for forthcoming elections, here is a proposal:

> For all published artefacts using DRM, there needs to be a legal method for expiring the lock - or circumventing the DRM - once the period of all relevant copyrights has expired, otherwise future generations would not be able to access these artefacts.

If backdoored E2EE is possible then backdoored DRM should be easy too, right?

ianbetteridge, to random
@ianbetteridge@writing.exchange avatar

deleted_by_author

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    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @andypiper
    I think you would need two for balance, hence the lower price.

    @ianbetteridge

    webmink, to opensource
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    When is it OK to attack someone for using proprietary software?

    https://the.webm.ink/on-choosing-freedom

    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @andypiper Thanks so much - I had forgotten that one! (OggCamp, yes)

    webmink, to random
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    EFF is a bit late to the party but I agree with their position.

    https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/05/eus-proposed-cyber-resilience-act-raises-concerns-open-source-and-cybersecurity

    carlwgeorge, to random
    @carlwgeorge@fosstodon.org avatar

    I've been seeing lots of "the sky is falling" takes around Red Hat pulling out of LibreOffice RPM maintenance in Fedora. Here's a reality check: the vast majority of packages in Fedora are not maintained in an official capacity (i.e. part of their job) by Hatters. That's because only a small subset (~10%) of Fedora packages make it into RHEL. Currently RHEL 9 has 6,501 RPMs (from 2,393 SRPMs), while Fedora 38 has 60,807 RPMs (from 23,281 SRPMs).

    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @carlwgeorge
    I'm not much concerned for Fedora, but I still think RH disinvesting in - where it employed the leading contributor - is a bad thing.

    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @carlwgeorge
    Obviously Red Hat's business strategy reflects the philosophy guiding it. Disinvestment in after a decade as a key contributor speaks strongly to the change in direction the company is taking now it is just a division of IBM. We remember how IBM abandoned ODF - and indeed OpenOffice - once it had played its competitive role.

    Believe me, I am the last person to anthropomorphize corporations! This is a decade old: https://webmink.com/essays/reptiles/

    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @dottorblaster
    I'd guess anyone expressing that view is unaware that Red Hat no longer employs the lead committer to and no longer contributes funding to TDF or support via the TDF advisory Board, and that IBM no longer funds or supports ODF standardisation, in addition to Red Hat no longer owning the rpm.

    @carlwgeorge

    webmink,
    @webmink@meshed.cloud avatar

    @dottorblaster
    That's where I'm coming from. Any large open source strategy other than strip-mining involves sustaining the ecosystem indirectly so the revenue-generating edge remains healthy.

    The reductionism of most corporations lays off the people that do it, reduces funding so it can't be afforded and even (as Oracle did when buying Sun) laughs at the fools "leaving money on the table".

    Unfortunately, seems that's where Red Hat - for many people a beacon - is going too.

    @carlwgeorge

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