[Values-ethics] 506 / The United World Visions Festivals on Global Issues for a new global information society

Tue Feb 10 13:45:01 GMT 2004

Dear Richard,

Firstly; I just gave Claude an answer which I've copied in for you underneath your mail.

Secondly; I know your "Free as in Freedom" and "GNU's Not Unix and its logo (you see it everyware)", its my honor to receive your invitation.

About Microsofts influence. Yes, a bit I am worried about this for on several occaissions I have tried to discuss this with them. In the contract we have with them (corrected by Deloitte) we seem to have got the Issue out, excluded is, but still?

You wrote about an information society. Do you know about George Soros his "Open Society Institute"? The network implement a range of initiatives that aim to promote open societies by shaping government policy and supporting education, media, public health, and human and women's rights, as well as social, legal, and economic reform. This is what we are achieving, but then a few steps beyond, a theory further.

I would be taking a great risk if I would advise the VRO board to make a switch from Microsoft now, you, Claude and Geert understand this, but I stand open for the right challenge to do so. In other words: Yes I'm willing to resist Microsoft influence, but will the 4 of you (including WSIS) assure us that there will be no hard feelings if we reject your proposal? Secondly, we are talking about 750,000 hits per day, who can compete with this? Thirdly, they have given over Euro 65.000 already, this also might be a problem. Moreover, we are talking about a further interest of theirs in Euro's.

But I'm willing to try.

Kindest,
Robert

----- Oorspronkelijk bericht ----- 
Van: "Richard Stallman" <rms at gnu.org>
Aan: "Robert J. Ebbeler" <rockproject at 6xa.nl>
CC: <values-ethics at wsis-cs.org>
Verzonden: dinsdag 10 februari 2004 13:44
Onderwerp: Re: [Values-ethics] 506 / The United World Visions Festivals on Global Issues for a new global information society

> The overall idea is a good one, but I'm worried by Microsoft's
> participation.  A good information society is one that encourages
> cooperation and sharing, but Microsoft doesn't like that.  It will
> most likely look for a way to distort this activity so it helps
> establish a corporate-dominated "information society" that we would
> all be better off without.
> 
> I'm sure there are ways to resist this influence if you try.
> Would you like to try?
> 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Claude,

Linux is excellent, Geert is fine media theorist (I thought you didn't like theorists?), net critic and activist and I see that you are a great activist too. I know about the issue and I agree that it is one of the problems that have to be resolved still. That is one of the reasons why we are setting up this event. Let all have broadband as soon as possible for example, a discussion point I confronted the UN with at the end of last year, that I to have confronted WSIS with through The World Forum on Communication Rights. WSIS or Stallman gave no reaction.

Anyway, you are against porn and / or Microsoft and / or MSN:

From:  "Claude Almansi" <claude.almansi at b...> 
Date:  Sun Jul 20, 2003  2:29 pm
Subject:  explicit banner for hardcore p0rn sites on www.msn.ch/stellen

From:  "Claude Almansi" <claude.almansi at b...> 
Date:  Wed Jul 23, 2003  10:30 am
Subject:  P0RN AT MSN.CH (the return,and new site LOL)

This explains a lot why you are so determent. Why exclude anyone in your hopes and fight for a better world? I know that MSN and Microsoft are also determent that it will prevail. (Gates alone spent over $ 22 billion since 1999 to achieve this. On second place in the same period Gordon More spent just (?) 7 billion in the same period). And were is the UN?

By the way, MSN removed all porn banners last summer. That was fantastic news for you, me and them (they were very relived that they got a go to do so)

You mentioned www.46664.com, with whom we have a healthy contact, just as we have with the NM Foundation. I can't help that Tiscali was the host. They to would want to do business with us, but we rejected.

You wrote that "Big attachments ARE a no no on mailing-lists". This was no mailing-list, it was a mail for all those (and only the 506 one) of the WSIS, names given to us by the UN and the CoE  (the reason why I, for the moment, is confidential).

You wrote: III d Internet providers offering free use of internet access - Many ISPs in poor countries would have difficulties doing so. And I can't see the connexion with IBM hosting the communities - this is great, but it still doesn't solve the question of accessing communities, and of uploading music there if the connexion infrastructure is poor.

Answer: This a one of the R&D issues for VU Amsterdam, TNO, IBM and Microsoft and "a" reason why WSIS should support the project.

You wrote: And further down, page 5, point 7c, in the section on "The role and responsibilities of "Individuals" and the "Communities" points to a very limited range of this free use:  "They must use the Internet provider's subscription exclusively for the purpose for which it is intended (i.e. to transfer information to and from the platform and their personal computer / workstation)"

Answer: You know that this not their or our intention, that it is nonsense Claude!

You wrote: A budget of 3'470'000 euros for a development project is reasonable. 

Answer: Not only reasonable, but free also for all, so also for those who live in poverty (for whom we have created even a special charity program, going even much further then the project "Hole in the Wall" sponsored by the WB.

You wrote: But what development and for whom is actually involved in your project remains unclear.

Answer: I can't see the point, its clear to all others.

My question for you is: "What is the nature of your work"?

With the utmost respect,
Robert
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