Re: [fsfc-discuss] A first time hello

[Mirko Lindner]

On 24 Feb 2008, at 01:03, Russell McOrmond wrote:

>   Hello Mark, and sorry for the long delay responding.  My first  
> thought was to wait to see if anyone else replied, and then this  
> message got a bit lost in my overly large TODO box.
>
>
> Mirko Lindner wrote:
> > concrete plans to form a FSFC in the near future and if there was  
> > anything I can do to help.
>
>
>   I'm feeling underwhelmed by the response.  What we need to find  
> is people with the energy to put some focus on this.   FSFC has my  
> support, but unfortunately I can only give support to someone else  
> and not do it myself (I'm focused on digital-copyright.ca ,  
> GOSLINGcommunity.org and related stuff).

I have to admit that for the time being any action physically taking  
place in Canada would be difficult for me to participate in, as I am  
in Sweden (being a German that lies closer). But I think preparing  
the necessary steps and talking (mailing) to and with the right  
people and get something happening should be doable even over the  
distance.

>   If you check the archives at http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/ 
> fsfc-discuss/ you will notice that the discussion of past attempts  
> at getting charitable status.  There seems to be the suggestion  
> that without the charitable status there is no point to there being  
> an FSF chapter in Canada.  I don't agree, and believe that there is  
> more than just the GNU project (IE: funding of software  
> development) that is relevant for an FSF Canada to do.   I hear of  
> FSF India hosting conferences, being active in public policy work,  
> and so-on.

I completely agree with you, there is much more to the Free Software  
Foundation than "just" software development. I am an Intern at the  
FSFE right now and we are organizing the second Free Software  
Conference in the nordic Counrties this year to provide a meeting- 
point and a platform for future development. I am also actively  
involved in the creative commons here in sweden and therefore do much  
more work "on the basis/the users" so to speak, which relates to your  
comment.

>  It is (or should be) clear that the policy work needed in Canada  
> is very different than the policy work needed in the USA.
I think the assumption that a FSFC (no matter in which shape for  
form) has the same goals/aims as the FSF is indeed the biggest  
misconception and I believe if we formulate the tasks at hand for a  
Canadian Chapter of the FSF and prove to people that indeed they  
differ from the FSF's we will be able to bring people aboard the idea.

> --
>  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
>  Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
>  rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
>  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/
>
>  "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
>   manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
>   portable media player from my cold dead hands!"