Comments on: Does the European Commission Harbour a Destruction of Free/Open Source Software Workgroup?

By: S. Urukipe

S. Urukipe — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:13:24 +0000

Maybe the first step should indeed have been to find out more about the context (European Software Strategy (NOT OSS Strategy as wikileaks still has it: http://wikileaks.org/wiki/European_Commission_OSS_Strategy_Draft%2C_Mar_2009), organisation of industry participation, type and status of working groups, type of target document from the Commission’s perspective etc.) rather than starting a doubtlessly lengthy process to get another copy of a document you already have. Everything seems to have started with this speach titled “Towards a European Software Strategy” by EU Commissioner Reding: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/reding/docs/speeches/brussels_20071119.pdf. If you google for the speech title you’ll find many papers by companies and associations that appear to have been drawn up in response. (NESSI has a document that appears to have been drawn up by the Commission as a summary of the input received, here: http://www.nessi-europe.com/Nessi/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=7teEO5hzywY%3D&tabid=304&mid=1571)

Note that the FSFE has already made some relevant points about the wikileak document and its interpretation (particularly the need to be careful to avoid drawing premature conclusions): http://blogs.fsfe.org/greve/?p=251

(As to the practicalities of finding the right people in the EU to talk to, note that the FSFE page mentions “DG INFSO” which I think is Commissioner Reding’s department so her spokesman should have the details.)

By: Ari T.

Ari T. — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:13:39 +0000

“Yes, that is exactly how politics works. Don’t be so naive!”

I can’t see anything naive in requiring openness from administration which is obliged by law to be open.

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:31:21 +0000

NotZed,

Yes, that is exactly how politics works. Don’t be so naive!

It was a rhetorical question. The text does not reflect on it.

By: NotZed

NotZed — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:27:01 +0000

Yes, that is exactly how politics works. Don’t be so naive!

And one things the Europeans are good at is making the politics complicated.

The only way to get results is if you have money – soft bribery or wasting it on lawyers.

By: Reality Jones

Reality Jones — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:22:02 +0000

You’re looking for a scandal, but in reality it is more probable that the official who needs to reply to your request has yet to be identified by her or his 90,000 colleagues.