[Fsf-friends] Link to... Association of Progressive Communicators

[Frederick Noronha]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Hi Frederick and everyone

This is the first time I've heard the expression FLOSS :)

FOSS yes, but FLOSS no, and it's quite good!

Free/Open source software is really important to APC. Infact our own
content managent system - the APC ActionApps
http://www.apc.org/actionapps/ - which was devised to help civil society
groups pool their content online and create shared portal websites - was
launched under the GNU GPL last year.

We see FOSS as a real and tangible way for moving towards attaining the
right to communicate for all.

In our "Internet Rights charter" one of the points is specifically on
FOSS:

Theme 4: The licensing and control of Intellectual property

4.1 Proprietary solutions and intellectual property:  Policy and
regulation that govern public access and dissemination of public
information need to discourage the use of proprietary software and
systems.  Governments that make use of proprietary systems to
disseminate information or for educational purposes, encourage others to
purchase legal licenses or violate intellectual property regulations.=20
This discourages local innovation and learning and enriches privately
owned corporations, usually based in the North. APC calls for the use of
open source and free software solutions.  Working with open source
options is empowering, it builds skills, is more sustainable, and it
encourages innovation at the local level.

Many APC members have been real advocates for free software and also
open content since they started working online in the mid 1980s for
some. Now I'd say our most avid advocates are based in Colombia and
Ecuador. Others such as members in Brazil and Argentina tend to be more
pragmatic than political in their use and advocacy of FOSS. As one of
the technical directors said recently: "we will be happy to support and
disseminate [the software as long as it is ] free to copy, redistribute,
change, and run."=20

Let me know what it is that you need for your study and I'll see what I
come up with. I'd also suggest that you take a look at the back issues
of APCNews, the latest of which Frederick attached.
http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews

All the best
Karen


Karen Higgs, APC Communications Manager=20
Tel: +598 - 2 - 400 6460 (GMT -3)
APC: http://www.apc.org
______________________________________________________

APCNews: Civil society's monthly e-bulletin on strategic uses of the
Internet to promote social justice and equality. From the APC, an
international online community or peace, human rights, development and
the environment since 1990.=20

To receive the news direct, write to: webeditor@apc.org or visit:
http://www.apc.org/english/news
______________________________________________________

APCNoticias: Un bolet=EDn electr=F3nico dirigido a la sociedad civil,
enfocado en el uso de Internet para promover la justicia e igualdad
social realizado por APC. =20
Para recibir las noticias directamente, escribe a: webeditor@apc.org o
visite: http://www.apc.org/espanol/news