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schestowitz"Jul 14 01:28
schestowitzReport on the GCC meeting of 5 July 2022: Fixed-term appointments & "Bringing Teams Together"Jul 14 01:28
schestowitzDear colleagues,Jul 14 01:28
schestowitzThere were three documents on the official agenda. The President had scheduled one hour for the meeting, although two of the documents on the agenda were clearly of very great importance:Jul 14 01:28
schestowitzCircular 405: Extension & Conversion of fixed-term appointments (GCC/DOC 12/2022)Jul 14 01:28
schestowitz“Bringing Teams Together” (GCC/DOC 13/2022)Jul 14 01:29
schestowitzWe sent a written and reasoned opinion to the President on both documents.Jul 14 01:29
schestowitzYou can read the full report on the meeting here.Jul 14 01:29
schestowitzYou can read the opinion on Circular 405 here.Jul 14 01:29
schestowitzYou can read the opinion on “Bringing Teams Together” here.Jul 14 01:29
schestowitzThe Central Staff Committee - CSCJul 14 01:29
schestowitz"Jul 14 01:29
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schestowitz <li>Jul 14 07:22
schestowitz                                    <h5><a href="https://nibblestew.blogspot.com/2022/07/further-adventures-in-creating-custom.html">Further adventures in creating a custom math-themed jigsaw puzzle</a></h5>Jul 14 07:22
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-nibblestew.blogspot.com | Nibble Stew: Further adventures in creating a custom math-themed jigsaw puzzleJul 14 07:22
schestowitz                                    <blockquote>Jul 14 07:22
schestowitz                                        <p>After assembling this puzzle once the main issue became apparent quite immediately. The curve needs to have a smooth linear gradient from black to white. Since this is a 256 piece puzzle it would require 256 discrete gray levels. Unfortunately the engraver can't achieve this level of precision. There are maybe 64 different achievable levels in practice and different parts of the plywood board react Jul 14 07:22
schestowitzdifferently to the laser. Thus it is actually fairly difficult to judge where any given piece should go and assembling the final puzzle was not really fun. Back to the old drawing board, then.</p>Jul 14 07:22
schestowitz                                    </blockquote>Jul 14 07:22
schestowitz                                </li>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz <li>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz                                            <h5><a href="https://www.preining.info/blog/2022/07/kde-plasma-for-debian-update-2022-7/">KDE/Plasma for Debian – Update 2022/7</a></h5>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz                                            <blockquote>Jul 14 07:23
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-www.preining.info | KDE/Plasma for Debian - Update 2022/7 | There and back againJul 14 07:23
schestowitz                                                <p>Long time I haven’t posted a lot about KDE/Plasma for Debian, most people will know the reason. But I have anyway updated my repos at OBS, which now contain the latest releases of frameworks, gears, and plasma!</p>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz                                            </blockquote>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz                                        </li>Jul 14 07:23
schestowitz <li>Jul 14 07:25
schestowitz                                    <h5><a href="https://blog.arduino.cc/2022/07/12/this-small-device-helps-test-thousands-of-old-ps-2-keyboards/">This small device helps test thousands of old PS/2 keyboards</a></h5>Jul 14 07:25
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-blog.arduino.cc | This small device helps test thousands of old PS/2 keyboards | Arduino BlogJul 14 07:25
schestowitz                                    <blockquote>Jul 14 07:25
schestowitz                                        <p>Inside of the custom 3D-printed case is an Arduino Nano, a homemade breakout board, a LiPo battery charger and booster board, and a 16×2 character backlit LCD. The Arduino sketch utilizes a PS/2 library that can read the character hex codes from standard keyboards. Once powered on, Midwest Cyberpunk can simply plug the keyboard into the device. Any key he presses on the keyboard will show up on the LCD Jul 14 07:25
schestowitzscreen, so he can quickly press every key to ensure that they all work. It is an efficient and affordable way to test large quantities of vintage keyboards in a short amount of time.</p>Jul 14 07:25
schestowitz                                    </blockquote>Jul 14 07:25
schestowitz                                </li>Jul 14 07:25
schestowitz <li>Jul 14 07:26
schestowitz                                    <h5><a href="https://blog.arduino.cc/2022/07/10/dial-up-your-pcb-design-skills-with-an-led-volume-control-shield/">Dial up your PCB design skills with an LED volume control shield</a></h5>Jul 14 07:26
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-blog.arduino.cc | Dial up your PCB design skills with an LED volume control shield | Arduino BlogJul 14 07:26
schestowitz                                    <blockquote>Jul 14 07:26
schestowitz                                        <p>The beauty of Arduino development boards is that they let you jump right into prototyping. Just connect the sensors, buttons, LEDs, or whatever other hardware you require to the Arduino’s I/O pins, code and flash a sketch, and you’re in business. But you might come to a stage where you want something more polished than a breadboard or perfboard. When you reach that stage, you can follow along with Jul 14 07:26
schestowitzYouTuber Upir’s LED volume knob project to learn how to design your first PCB.</p>Jul 14 07:26
schestowitz                                    </blockquote>Jul 14 07:26
schestowitz                                </li>Jul 14 07:27
schestowitzx https://www.haiku-os.org/news/2022-07-11_github_sponsors/Jul 14 07:38
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-www.haiku-os.org | Haiku, Inc. Now Accepting Donations Through GitHub Sponsors | Haiku ProjectJul 14 07:38
schestowitzx https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/13/microsoft_linux_company/Jul 14 07:40
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-www.theregister.com | Microsoft is a Linux and open source company • The RegisterJul 14 07:41
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schestowitz  <li>Jul 14 08:05
schestowitz                                    <h5><a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2022/07/nigerian-prison-break.html">Nigerian Prison Break</a></h5>Jul 14 08:05
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-Nigerian Prison Break - Schneier on SecurityJul 14 08:05
schestowitz                                    <blockquote>Jul 14 08:05
schestowitz                                        <p>What’s interesting to me is how the defenders got the threat model wrong. That attack isn’t normally associated with a prison break; it sounds more like a military action in a civil war.</p>Jul 14 08:05
schestowitz                                    </blockquote>Jul 14 08:05
schestowitz                                </li>Jul 14 08:05
schestowitz <li>Jul 14 08:30
schestowitz                                            <h5><a href="https://blog.opensource.org/the-future-of-innovation-has-patent-free-standards/">The future of innovation has patent-free standards</a></h5>Jul 14 08:30
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-blog.opensource.org | The future of innovation has patent-free standards - Voices of Open SourceJul 14 08:30
schestowitz                                            <blockquote>Jul 14 08:30
schestowitz                                                <p>It is not an ideological outlook that makes thoughtful Open Source advocates oppose patents in standards. It’s primarily pragmatic. Requiring a patent license to implement a standard implies that those implementing it must engage in private negotiation to get a license to proceed. That’s super-toxic to Open Source, whose mainspring is code owners giving advance, un-negotiated, equal permission Jul 14 08:30
schestowitzto enjoy the software in any way – use, improve, share, monetize – all protected by a rights license reviewed and approved by OSI. So most projects avoid or work around SEP-encumbered standards and the ones that don’t are industry-specific.</p>Jul 14 08:31
schestowitz                                            </blockquote>Jul 14 08:31
schestowitz                                        </li>Jul 14 08:31
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schestowitz[TR]Decided to copy comments http://patentblog.kluweriplaw.com/2022/07/09/iloat-sees-more-violations-of-staff-rights-at-european-patent-office/Jul 14 21:14
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-patentblog.kluweriplaw.com | ILOAT sees more violations of staff rights at European Patent Office - Kluwer Patent BlogJul 14 21:14
schestowitz[TR]"10 commentsJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Don't expect fundamental rights to be respected at EPOJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]JULY 9, 2022 AT 2:05 PMJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]At EPO the number of fundamental rights violated under Battistelli and Bergot is amazing.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Worse Campinos did not want to move a finger, he who claims to be a jurist, to avoid these judgments at ATILO by for instance redressing the ill-designed internal laws passed by his predecessor before they are judged.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]EPO can produce story-telling videos to promote inclusivity and pseudo modernity, the reality of facts is that the EPO remains very far from the picture it wishes to project and that the working atmosphere remains suffocating.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Whipped ExaminerJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]JULY 9, 2022 AT 2:38 PMJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]In 2015, members of the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) had publicly posted at https://www.epo.org/news-events/news/2015/20150318_de.html “No, the EPO is not violating fundamental human rights”Jul 14 21:15
-TechBytesBot/#techbytes-www.epo.org | EPO - Statement from the management: No, the EPO is not violating fundamental human rightsJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Two of the signatories are still at the EPO and members of the MAC.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]If the EPO career system were really merit-based, shouldn’t they give back their unduly awarded steps/promotions and be invited to the “Talent Separation Program”?Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Learned JudgesJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]JULY 9, 2022 AT 7:21 PMJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Again, I see that none of the decisions taken by the Administration while the Staff representatives were in a “significant disadvantage” and could not send emails to all personnel are not voided.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]What’s the point then of making any appeal to the ILOAT?Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]I can clearly hear the clinging of the glasses at the EPO’s Administration offices.Jul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]Puzzled subject of the PresidentJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]JULY 11, 2022 AT 3:37 PMJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR]I note the length of the procedure between initial decision and quashing by the ILOAT as an aggravating factor, in effect denying justice to a large extent. It has to be noted that a large part of that delay is due to the intentionally slowed down internal appeal process. When will this be dealt with by ILOAT? It’s good to know that certain unlawful provisions will need to disappear, but what’s to avoid the EPO administration toJul 14 21:15
schestowitz[TR] re-create these in a year or two , knowing full and well it’ll take close to a decade to quash them again without any personal consequence for the individuals involved? How’s that for a fundamentally flawed process?Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]Attentive ObserverJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]JULY 10, 2022 AT 8:49 PMJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]One should not think that the ILO-AT is a great help for EPO staff.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]First it takes an inordinately long time to come to a decision and mainly contents itself in checking whether the procedures have been correctly followed.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]It is only in very blatant cases, like here, that the ILO-AT reacts. Any interpretation which could be be favorable to staff and which every court could take, is carefully avoided.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]The internal appeal system is rotten. Even in case of a unanimous decision of the IAC, the head of the EPO can ignore it and even aggravate the sentence having led the staff member to file an IA.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]We are back to the 19th century, which is hard to believe and accept. And in the 19th century it could be understood why the owner of a firm wanted to curtail the rights of its staff. It was to maximize its profits.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]The upper management behaves as if it would own the EPO. And it just wants to maximize its bonuses!Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]And the AC is happy rubber stamping what comes from the EPO management!!Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]Carlos the curiousJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]JULY 11, 2022 AT 9:56 PMJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]if you really want to somehow see the positive sides of all this, the high interests we get each time is a great satisfaction and, very small consolation, other organizations seem to have more dismissals, demotions, downgrading, misconduct procedures, etc than the EPO, at least at a first glance of the ILOAT judgementsJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]think twice before joining the clubJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]JULY 13, 2022 AT 12:28 PMJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]the specificity of the EPO is that it first and foremost targeted staff representatives and union officials which should be of concern for any individual who wishes to work there.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]of course, nowadays the EPO also fires a few staff members here and there, some having clearly crossed boundaries, others less.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]under the pressure from the administrative council, Campinos settled with most of the staff representatives and union officials who were chased by Battistelli and his crew.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]Their legal complaints will thus never reach the ATILO hence you will never know about them contrary to other individuals’ complaints which are not settled and eventually become public atilo cases.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]certainly, settlements can be understood from the perspective of the individuals concerned who suffered but they thus deprive the public of important information concerning EPO’s social atmosphere.Jul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]this being said the number of targeted staff representatives and union officials at EPO is by far the highest of all international organisations and this should worry anyone considering joining the EPOJul 14 21:16
schestowitz[TR]Thanks to SUEPOJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]JULY 11, 2022 AT 11:37 PMJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]A big thank you to the appellants who were all ex-staff reps and SUEPO officials who have been harshly targetted by Battistelli and his minions (one of them having been even dismissed).Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]We owe them for their civil courage to have stood in these awful times.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]Concerned observerJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]JULY 12, 2022 AT 11:16 AMJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]I have lost count of the number of rule changes that were proposed by the President and approved by the AC that have ultimately been found to violate fundamental human rights of EPO staff.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]In each case, it has taken FAR too long for ILO-AT to state what was always blindingly obvious (to everyone that was not a member of EPO management or an AC delegate). However, this is not just a case of justice delayed. It is a case where there is no justice whatsoever.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]Other than paying costs that they will take from funds provided by applicants, the EPO will not be required to compensate (or provide any other kind of redress for) staff for the unlawful infringement of their fundamental rights. Also, there will be no disciplinary action against those responsible for taking clearly unlawful action. Indeed, the passage of time alone makes this difficult, if not impossible.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]So one has to ask: what is to stop the EPO deliberately taking the same kind of (clearly unlawful) action again? That is, how can EPO staff ensure that they are not subject to repeated, unlawful campaigns of abuse that seek to deprive them of their fundamental rights?Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]EPO managers who might contemplate taking such unlawful action will surely have taken note of the fact that, at the very worst, the “sanction” for doing so will be fines that will be paid by the organisation. So what is to prevent them from viewing such fines as a cost of “doing business” (ie achieving any devious aims that they might have in mind)?Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]Concerned observerJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]JULY 13, 2022 AT 11:27 AMJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]Another aspect of the ILO-AT judgements is their failure to see the wood for the trees.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]The intent of the “abusive” rules was to prevent the unions from functioning effectively. The ILO-AT, however, only considered the impact of those rules on the individuals who filed the complaints. Thus, whether or not the staff, as a whole, suffered serious detriment as a result of the imposition of the “abusive” rules was not a matter that the ILO-AT either would or could consider.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]In short, the ILO-AT is no forum in which it is possible to seek justice for infringements of the rights to association, or to COLLECTIVE bargaining. This is because the real damage inflicted by such infringements will simply never be considered by the ILO-AT.Jul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]Bearing these points in mind, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the legal set-up at the EPO practically invites the senior management to completely ignore human rights considerations when deciding how to “efficiently” manage the organisation. A dictatorial set-up can be considered quite “efficient” in terms of converting aims and ambitions into concrete action, as there are no delays or complications caused by considerJul 14 21:17
schestowitz[TR]ing the possible impact of proposed rules on (the rights of) others. Silencing, or otherwise minimising, voices that might argue against proposed rule changes could also be perceived to enhance “efficiency”. Moreover, if there are no negative consequences to taking a “dictatorial” approach (eg if “abusive” rules can remain in place for the best part of a decade, and if management is never sanctioned if and when those rulJul 14 21:18
schestowitz[TR]es are finally overturned), it is hard to see how the voice of reason can ever prevail when it comes to the management’s approach to staff relations.Jul 14 21:18
schestowitz[TR]Comments are closed."Jul 14 21:18

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