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<DIV><FONT size=2>Dear Richard,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Firstly; I just gave Claude an answer which I've copied in for
you underneath your mail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Secondly; I know your "Free as in Freedom" and "<FONT
size=3><FONT size=2>GNU's Not Unix and its logo (you see it everyware)",
</FONT></FONT>its my honor to receive your invitation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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
<STRONG>government policy and supporting education, media, public health, and
human and women's rights, as well as social, legal, and economic reform.
</STRONG></FONT><FONT size=2>This is what we are achieving, but then a few steps
beyond, a theory further.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>But I'm willing to try.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Kindest,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Robert</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=2>----- Oorspronkelijk bericht ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Van: "Richard Stallman" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:rms@gnu.org"><FONT size=2>rms@gnu.org</FONT></A><FONT
size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Aan: "Robert J. Ebbeler" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:rockproject@6xa.nl"><FONT size=2>rockproject@6xa.nl</FONT></A><FONT
size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>CC: <</FONT><A
href="mailto:values-ethics@wsis-cs.org"><FONT
size=2>values-ethics@wsis-cs.org</FONT></A><FONT size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Verzonden: dinsdag 10 februari 2004 13:44</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Onderwerp: Re: [Values-ethics] 506 / The United World Visions
Festivals on Global Issues for a new global information
society</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT size=2>> The overall idea is a good
one, but I'm worried by Microsoft's<BR>> participation. A good
information society is one that encourages<BR>> cooperation and sharing, but
Microsoft doesn't like that. It will<BR>> most likely look for a way to
distort this activity so it helps<BR>> establish a corporate-dominated
"information society" that we would<BR>> all be better off without.<BR>>
<BR>> I'm sure there are ways to resist this influence if you try.<BR>>
Would you like to try?<BR>> <BR>
<HR>
</FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Dear Claude,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Anyway, you are against porn and / or Microsoft and /
or MSN:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>From: "Claude Almansi" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:claude.almansi@b"><FONT size=2>claude.almansi@b</FONT></A><FONT
size=2>...> <BR>Date: Sun Jul 20, 2003 2:29 pm<BR>Subject:
explicit banner for hardcore p0rn sites on </FONT><A
href="http://www.msn.ch/stellen"><FONT
size=2>www.msn.ch/stellen</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>From: "Claude Almansi" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:claude.almansi@b"><FONT size=2>claude.almansi@b</FONT></A><FONT
size=2>...> <BR>Date: Wed Jul 23, 2003 10:30 am<BR>Subject:
P0RN AT MSN.CH (the return,and new site LOL)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>You mentioned </FONT><A href="http://www.46664.com"><FONT
size=2>www.46664.com</FONT></A><FONT size=2>, 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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Answer: This a one of the R&D issues for VU Amsterdam,
TNO, IBM and Microsoft <STRONG>and "a" reason why WSIS should support the
project.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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)"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Answer: You know that this not their or our intention, that it
is nonsense Claude!<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>You wrote: A budget of 3'470'000 euros for a development
project is reasonable. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>You wrote: But what development and for whom is actually
involved in your project remains unclear.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Answer: I can't see the point, its clear to all
others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><STRONG>My question for you is: "What is the nature of your
work"?</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>With the utmost respect,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Robert</FONT></DIV>
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