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IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: August 10th, 2008

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schestowitz"A principal advantage of Linspire, its codec licensing agreement with Microsoft, no longer applies," Typaldos says.  ( http://www.linux.com/feature/144307 ) Aug 10 07:32
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**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Sun Aug 10 14:52:28 2008
*Now talking on #boycottnovellAug 10 14:52
*Topic for #boycottnovell is: Exploring the reality behind exclusionary deals with Microsoft and their subtle (yet severe) implications (publicly logged)Aug 10 14:52
*Topic for #boycottnovell set by schestowitz at Wed Jun 4 08:34:16 2008Aug 10 14:52
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subsonicahi everyoneAug 10 17:19
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kentmahi subsonica - next time!Aug 10 18:11
schestowitzIt seems like Novell wlll try to shovel some Novell-only (Mono) patches into projects like KDE, :-(Aug 10 18:47
twitterLink?Aug 10 19:00
schestowitzHmmm... just spotted this Munchkin (Gary Stewart) trolling my submission... http://digg.com/linux_unix/CCu...Aug 10 19:00
schestowitzAbout KDE, I wrote a post about it this  morning and there are some comments.Aug 10 19:01
twitterThanks, I have to go see.Aug 10 19:02
kentmahe remains an objectionable, scaly character.Aug 10 19:02
schestowitzhttp://boycottnovell.com/2008/08...   http://boycottnovell.com/2008...Aug 10 19:04
schestowitzI passed by Maplin 2 hours ago and a minBook was up for display at the front window (no Windows). Mainstream indeed.Aug 10 19:06
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twitterOK, read the Meeks interview.  It was nauseating and I see where you are coming from but I don't think KDE will follow.Aug 10 20:47
schestowitzI don't think "follow" is the right word. Subjugate maybe. Do you know that Moonlight requires Mono?Aug 10 20:55
schestowitzbrbAug 10 20:55
schestowitzOK, I'm back.Aug 10 21:06
Tallkenschestowitz, let me guess, dinner? :PAug 10 21:24
schestowitzHow did you know?Aug 10 21:26
Tallkentime you took, and me having had dinner as well in that timeframe :DAug 10 21:27
schestowitzWell, I had another dinner at 6. Anyway, I've been thinking about the shame that is 'MacDonalds' of PCs taking over fine projects that were born to liberate people from 'foreign tax'. Many Germans seem to be guardians of KDEs and maybe more Spaniards around GNOME (my judgment could be very incorrect). The situation where you have two US-based businesses like Microsoft and Novell could end up in an acquisition or Citrix/MS-like relaAug 10 21:34
schestowitztionship (marriage of convenience). Novell has a lot of control over DEs, esp. with swpatents. Mono is a curse, but there are more. Novell knew quite some time ago that it could (and would) use Mono to divide. The GPL prevents division but v2 has the swpatents loophole.Aug 10 21:34
schestowitz*gasp* Another Slashdot  'ad' for Microsoft: http://tech.slashdot.org/... They publish everything about Microsoft trying to be an 'open source' citizen. Is someone gaming the system there? Is it the SourceForge sponsorship? They also posted "Linus Foundation: we'd like to work for Microsoft." They market Microsoft to geeks. WTF?Aug 10 21:36
TallkenFor the time being I'm yet at Gnome and using Tomboy :P By the time I upgrade to next Ubuntu version I'll consider a switch... I have been jumping between Gnome and KDE for too long now, maybe Novell can make me decide for good :)Aug 10 21:36
TallkenI love GPL, the way everyone develops stuff and is forced to share ehehehe :DAug 10 21:37
TallkenLearnt a while ago RedHat's using Ubuntu's upstartAug 10 21:37
schestowitzShare poison too. That's what swpats do.Aug 10 21:37
Tallkendidn't understand your last sentence sorry? Share poison with who?Aug 10 21:38
schestowitzSharing of code is a wonderful thing. The issue is that certain patches, given the introduction of software patents, can do more harm than good. That's the key issue with Novell. I'm actually more annoyed with how Microsoft paid SourceForge, which now markets Microsoft to readers (the same company that it likely to sue or extort).Aug 10 21:41
TallkenahAug 10 21:44
TallkenunderstoodAug 10 21:44
TallkenYou're aware RedHat also settled an patent issue outside court, don't you? Though it was with a lesser evil, it did; RedHat's costumers are free from any more issues from that patent holder, but not other distro's users...Aug 10 21:46
schestowitzIt's a nudge-nudge thing and it has become a pattern. It's irritating because it makes some people naive and less careful about Microsoft's plans. It's boasting Microsoft's presence at OSCON (they paid O'Reilly lots of money) and the tagging leaves no room for criticism.Aug 10 21:46
schestowitzYes, I was going to mention the Red Hat thing. Sun too. It's less than optimal, but it keeps the code flowing freely.Aug 10 21:47
TallkenDo you buy Linuxformat?Aug 10 21:47
schestowitzNo, I never have. I don't deal with paper.Aug 10 21:47
TallkenPretty impartial magazine. Did a review of openSuSE, mentioned loud and clear the open-source community to MS-Novell deal. And went on saying openSuSE was great lol :PAug 10 21:48
schestowitzI remember their review of 11.0Aug 10 21:51
TallkenI must say it seems to be cool :PAug 10 21:52
schestowitzI realise that you and benJIman are here as OpenSUSE users hoping to change the atmosphere. I must say that OpenSUSE is not the issue. It's the companies that wrap it up.Aug 10 21:53
schestowitzThere used to be a BoycottSUSE blog back in 2006-2007 (it's no more). Someone anonymous ran it and I think I was in touch with him by E-mail. I can't recall for sure. Anyway, that's gone now.Aug 10 21:54
Tallkenschestowitz, I'm with Ubuntu lol, just read the review and seemed coolAug 10 21:55
Tallkenand I know the problem is the company behind it :)Aug 10 21:55
Tallkenand now Gnome seems compromisedAug 10 21:55
Tallken:(Aug 10 21:56
schestowitzAh, okay. Well, I recognise and publicly say that OpenSUSE is good. But that's not the point.Aug 10 21:56
schestowitzRemember what RMS says about Freedom vs Power. He has a good article about it. Also, someone mailed me some OpenSUSE 10.2 DVDs back in the days (I don't know who or why).Aug 10 21:56
TallkenTrying to buy your silence with the EyeCandy, maybe? ;)Aug 10 21:57
schestowitzThat's what I thought.Aug 10 21:57
Tallkenwell you are aware there is a large amount of people that use Linux because they want something that worksAug 10 21:58
schestowitzYes, I am.Aug 10 21:58
schestowitzAfter the long struggle (25 years), it would be a shame to have 'just' another OS X.Aug 10 21:59
TallkenThe 'worst' part is that won't ever happenAug 10 22:00
Tallkenat least Apple 'steals' good ideasAug 10 22:00
TallkenMicrosoft just destroys themAug 10 22:00
schestowitzI sometimes see Apple 'fans' (well, people who advocate Macs) and I am muchly baffled... to a degree. They essentially spend a lot of energy assisting the bottom line of a very wealth company with $20 billion in the bank. They are like free agents.Aug 10 22:01
Tallkenfor example, they have the ping, telnet binary from BSDAug 10 22:01
Tallkenthey could get some other programsAug 10 22:01
Tallkenallow a decent consoleAug 10 22:01
Tallken(BTW, haven't heard about Monad)Aug 10 22:01
Tallkendo something decentAug 10 22:01
Tallkenbut instead no, they mangle DRM everywhereAug 10 22:02
schestowitzAs for Microsoft and Apple, it runs deeper than this. Linux is not a necessity. There are other kernels. What we need is a change in the way software is distributed, elimination of user-hostile malicious features, etc. There's also hope of reducing corruption along the way and improving culture.Aug 10 22:02
Tallkentry to convert the OS into a overpowered PlaystationAug 10 22:02
TallkenApple fans are the #1 reason why I don't want to buy a MacAug 10 22:02
Tallkenthey annoy meAug 10 22:02
TallkenI don't want to become like themAug 10 22:02
Tallkenthey're agents of the Apple swarm :DAug 10 22:03
schestowitzWell, they don't bother the Linux forums much, so I don't mind them. They use a UNIX too, but a proprietary platform, no less...Aug 10 22:03
schestowitzHere's the beef: is the transition occurs from non-robust computing (desktop) to modern computing and Free software is left out, that's a shame. Apple just 'exploited' Free (in the BSD sense) s/w.Aug 10 22:04
Tallkenbecause I must say, Macs are beautiful and OS X as well. Pity they complain so much about Linux and "open source crap" without realizing their beloved IM is probably "open source crap", at least if they use MSN MessengerAug 10 22:04
TallkenWellAug 10 22:04
TallkenI can't choose one software distribution model because I can't be sure of either oneAug 10 22:05
TallkenSo for me the priority is assuring you can have competitionAug 10 22:05
schestowitzI still concentrate less on Apple...and Google. They do their share of evil stuff, BUT... BUT... BUT... none of them actively attacks Free software. Hardly so...Aug 10 22:05
Tallkenhealthy competition keeps everyone on their trackAug 10 22:05
TallkenGoogle is evil, they'll create the world's first AI :DAug 10 22:06
schestowitzIt's like sitting in a room with a fox, a lizard and a rattle snake. Which one would worry you most?Aug 10 22:06
TallkenRead this, SCI-FI story, very cool: http://www.edge.org/3rd_cultu...Aug 10 22:06
schestowitzI used to read The Edge.Aug 10 22:06
TallkenIf I had an MP5 with bullets, none :DAug 10 22:06
schestowitzActually, I created a small wget-based script to make a pseudo-RSS feed of that site.Aug 10 22:07
TallkenI hadn't ever read The Edge, nor I do, just read that short storyAug 10 22:07
Tallken"without realizing their beloved IM is probably "open source crap", at least if they use MSN Messenger" ---> ppl with Macs use usually aMSNAug 10 22:07
Tallkenbut going back to "having a system that just works"Aug 10 22:08
TallkenI do want that systemAug 10 22:08
schestowitzGoogle is about control of information. Microsoft controls tools.Aug 10 22:08
*schestowitz still reading very quicklyAug 10 22:08
Tallkenbut I am also aware of the system that allowed the birth of LinuxAug 10 22:08
Tallkento which Microsoft didn't contributeAug 10 22:09
schestowitzYes, but skills are the main lock-in and Microsoft knows this.Aug 10 22:09
Tallkenas such, even if I just a system that "Just works(tm)", I tend to be a so called "freetard", because in what works you don't touchAug 10 22:09
Tallkenthough, as I said, I've quite happily used Windows beforeAug 10 22:10
schestowitzI disagree with you assessment that Linux does not 'work'. Some powerful tools like Maya 3D for GNU/Linux are proprietary, but nevertheless, over time you have projects like Blender that go GPL in order to compete better. One defector is enough to make the dam burst.Aug 10 22:10
TallkenI understood your point, but what I meant is this:Aug 10 22:10
schestowitzI'm still trying to find Beranger something that will stop his rants.Aug 10 22:11
TallkenI could choose to use openSuSE because I could not give a damn about my Freedom, and as openSuSE would fill my needs, could work itAug 10 22:11
schestowitzHe's too hardcore and vain to use something 'easy' and 'mainstream'Aug 10 22:11
TallkenBeranger? What??Aug 10 22:11
schestowitzTry Mandriva 2008.1Aug 10 22:11
Tallkenthe same way I could use WindowsAug 10 22:11
Tallkenquestion isAug 10 22:12
schestowitzI always change distros... for the fun of it.Aug 10 22:12
TallkenI did use Gentoo :PAug 10 22:12
Tallkenno I'm happy with UbuntuAug 10 22:12
Tallkenno,, I'm happy with UbuntuAug 10 22:12
TallkenI feel the need of change but just for the funAug 10 22:12
Tallkenmy point isAug 10 22:12
schestowitzI used it before. Not touched it in a while. I have two PCs on  my desk.Aug 10 22:13
Tallkenafter all thisAug 10 22:13
Tallkenyou can defend two points of viewAug 10 22:13
Tallkena) the three (or four?) freedomsAug 10 22:13
Tallkenb) "the development modem which works and, while you're at it, is morally correct"Aug 10 22:13
Tallkenmore or like open-source vs free softwareAug 10 22:14
schestowitzFreedom and market share are not contradictory and development needn't have much to do with freedom.Aug 10 22:14
Tallkenthough the part after the comma is, at least for me, also importantAug 10 22:14
Tallkenwhich isn't included in the open-source phiolsophyAug 10 22:14
schestowitzYes, and open source poses the issue as though it's just some source code  that we want to see. Some things are verboten.Aug 10 22:14
Tallken*philosophyAug 10 22:14
schestowitzThe ethical issues RMS talked about made a lot more sense over time.Aug 10 22:15
Tallkenverbotten?Aug 10 22:15
schestowitzI came to Linux when I was 18 and I knew nothing about RMS. I have a Finnish friend who just told me about Linus.Aug 10 22:15
schestowitzThe goals RMS seeks to address are described in some posts I made this morning. One is an interview where he talks about extreme capitalism and nothing is a fine demo of it: the war against OLPC.Aug 10 22:16
schestowitz"verbotten"? My spellchecker does not like it. ;-)Aug 10 22:16
Tallkenyou said "verbotten"Aug 10 22:18
Tallkenwhat did you mean?Aug 10 22:18
schestowitzForbidden.Aug 10 22:18
TallkenahAug 10 22:18
schestowitzBut I leave in tact lots of typos, which I've been fine with since 2004.Aug 10 22:19
schestowitzI realised that I couldn't produce as much output. I realised that I had spent too much time spoofreading, so I gave up on.Aug 10 22:20
TallkenLOL okAug 10 22:21
Tallkenwell gotta goAug 10 22:21
Tallkencya later :)Aug 10 22:21
TallkenBTWAug 10 22:21
Tallkenliked that "The Edge" article?Aug 10 22:21
schestowitzHaven't finished yet. Thanks.Aug 10 22:21
twitterHe he, the more you think about things, the more RMS makes sense.  It seems amazing how he figured out software freedom 25 years ago but he had the right personality and was in the right place.Aug 10 22:40
schestowitzDid you read the interview.. I'll admit that I selectively read just portions.Aug 10 22:41
twitterI have to check.Aug 10 22:42
kentmanothing?  one thing?Aug 10 22:43
kentmasorry - that was confusing.Aug 10 22:43
kentmaRMS has always made total sense to me.Aug 10 22:43
schestowitzIt saddens me to see how the money-loving Linux Foundation takes the thunder and visibility of the Free Software Foundation.Aug 10 22:43
kentmaThe LF does employ some fairly important people, so one of its roles is as a kind of "safe harbour".Aug 10 22:44
twitterIt took me a while to get around "free market" brainwashing to understand that free software not only works but is natural when people are free.Aug 10 22:45
schestowitz"Thanks for the hard work, Rich[ard], we'll take it from there and get rich."Aug 10 22:45
kentmaLF is a not-for-profit.Aug 10 22:45
kentmaWe checked the conditions very carefully before signing up.Aug 10 22:46
schestowitzfree market is misinterpreted. As kentma said the other day, like IPR, it's a sound bite. It's like 'democracy'. We don't really live in what democracy stands for.Aug 10 22:46
schestowitzLF is funded to run in order to better serve the financial goals of its funders.Aug 10 22:46
kentmaWell, I saw it more as spreading the cost across multiple parties of things which need to be paid for, like key developers, and agreed specs and so on.Aug 10 22:47
kentmaIt was never my expectation that it would be sinister, and my activities there and interactions there indicate that those taking part are doing so in an honest way.Aug 10 22:48
schestowitzYes, definitely. Collaboratory concepts is just what Amanda McPherson said that old-aged companies are unable to grasp.Aug 10 22:48
schestowitzFreedom, however, goes beyond just collaboration.Aug 10 22:48
twitterNow I see the RMS quote.  Did not read that article.  I like to get his stuff from his political notes at stallman.org or the FSF.Aug 10 22:48
schestowitzThey try to corner or demote him, IMHO (the 'Establishment'). It's a shame that Slashdot talks about Ramji and other phonies rather than give attention to this RMS interview.Aug 10 22:50
twitterThe portion you cut sounds like him.  Megacorps have used the US government to harm their competitors in the name of "regulation".  He often points that out.Aug 10 22:50
twitterSlashdot's firehose is gamed.Aug 10 22:50
kentmatwitter: I really didn't understand that phrase - what is "gamed"?Aug 10 22:51
schestowitzI can imagine. A friend of mine says it drives him mad.Aug 10 22:51
schestowitzHe also has submissions of his canned by the editors if they don't like it.Aug 10 22:51
twitterI mean people who want to manipulate it have signed up enough accounts to fake popular interest.Aug 10 22:51
kentmatwitter: okay, ich verstehe sie!Aug 10 22:52
twittertranslate pleaseAug 10 22:52
kentmasorry, I understand you.Aug 10 22:52
schestowitzDigg's the same. I think I said this to twitter yesterday.Aug 10 22:53
kentmayes, I've seen this on Digg.  Gary Stewart's even posting as "flatfish" now.Aug 10 22:53
schestowitzSlashdot democracy and Digg democracy is like US or UK democracy. It's a nice illusion.Aug 10 22:53
schestowitzkentma: I had 4 accounts of his banned for abuse. He is more gentle with the 'flatfish' account. In Netscape, 'flatfish' got terminated for harassing me too. It drove his ballistic.Aug 10 22:54
schestowitz*himAug 10 22:54
twitterPeople at Slashdot are trying.  UK and US are active enemies.  Don't know about Digg.Aug 10 22:55
kentmagood.  He's a really unpleasant character.  One can only imagine that he's paid well in order to be so offensive.Aug 10 22:55
twitterI think I got this from here http://www.prwatch.org/node/7451Aug 10 22:56
twitterI doubt any of those people are well paidAug 10 22:56
schestowitzFlatfish Gary Stewart in in Slashdot too. He can post anonymously though. Same with Erik FunkenbuschAug 10 22:57
twitterthose are real people?  what is their slashdot user name?Aug 10 23:00
schestowitztwitter: I've seen Microsoft astoturfers from China. They even have Microsoft listed as a client on their site. They just spam blogs with Microsoft products promotion.Aug 10 23:00
kentmaGary is certainly real.  Erik F has been around for yearsl, although I don't know if that's his real name - personally, I doubt it.Aug 10 23:00
kentmaGary's name is real, though.Aug 10 23:03
schestowitzI think Erik is real too. He must be up to something quietly. He has been a zombie (night of living dead) since OS/2, so the likelihood of him walking away is nada.Aug 10 23:04
twitterFunkenbush?  I hope that's a fake name.  I sounds like unwashed girl parts.Aug 10 23:05
twitterGary Googles out as a singer.Aug 10 23:05
schestowitzDo a search on Google. You'll see.Aug 10 23:05
schestowitzI'd love to know how mcjr (or others) exposed his identity in the first place. He later leaked out a confirmation by accident.Aug 10 23:06
schestowitzThis could be grounds to class-action suit if you could then link to him to whatever middlemen Microsoft has (it has plenty for a fact).Aug 10 23:07
kentmaoh, it was because mjcr had met him on bulletin boards, before the internet became widely available.Aug 10 23:07
twitterThis guy?  http://www.garystew.com/im-ceo-bitch/Aug 10 23:07
schestowitzYes, and BBS. That's what I thought. Anyway, Microsoft calls this shilling spiel "marketing" or "adding balance".Aug 10 23:07
schestowitztwitter: more like this: http://schestowitz.com/Amusemen...Aug 10 23:08
twitterSomehow those people seem about as real as "Steve Barkto"Aug 10 23:10
kentmaGary really is real.  Funkenbush I've never believed in.Aug 10 23:10
schestowitzWhat ever happened to the Barkto character. Wasn't a law broken?Aug 10 23:10
schestowitzFunken' has always sounded like "this is a word from our sponsor (Microsoft)" or some mouthpiece appearing when damage control is desperately needed.Aug 10 23:11
twitterI don't know what happened to Barkto.  I think they just slithered into other names.Aug 10 23:11
twitterand got smarter about trolling.Aug 10 23:12
schestowitzBut if the person was real and he ruined forum on behalf of Microsoft, he should be sentenced, no?Aug 10 23:12
twitterOh yes.  I think there's something that should be done when companies intentionally disrupt other people's communications.Aug 10 23:13
schestowitzMicrosoft: "Just keep rubbing it in, via the press, analysts, newsgroups, whatever. Make the complete failure of the competition's technology part of the mythology of the computer industry." (source: http://www.groklaw.net/p... )Aug 10 23:13
twitterIt's like ZDNet and M$NBC to pump up an interview from RMS about a trip to Cuba and ignore him the rest of the time.Aug 10 23:16
twitterJust closing that tab.Aug 10 23:16
schestowitzWell, the sad thing is that media without sugar daddies is dying. This means that we are left with corporate dross. Industry-imposed flicks.Aug 10 23:18
twitterBroadcast and film is dying.  Media is thriving.Aug 10 23:18
twitterHave you seen Star Wrek?Aug 10 23:19
schestowitzIs that a parody?Aug 10 23:20
twitterYes and a very good one.Aug 10 23:23
twitterhttp://www.starwreck.com/Aug 10 23:24
twitterThey made it all with blue screens and computer animation.Aug 10 23:25
twitterEvery high school and university makes plays.  Sooner or later, they will make movies this way.Aug 10 23:26
schestowitzI;ve begun posting DTP videos in places. The producer is a nice guy and we correspond sometimes. It's 'free software' filming of FOSS taking over.Aug 10 23:26
twitterI need a clue.  Got a URL?Aug 10 23:27
schestowitzWatch the bottom part here: http://boycottnovell.com/200...Aug 10 23:28
twitterStar Wrek is a full length movie under CC.Aug 10 23:31
twitterThey have another one, Iron Sky coming out soon.Aug 10 23:31
schestowitzThere's room for mashups.Aug 10 23:33
schestowitzIn a couple of hours I'll post an interview with Apache's founder. He talks about how, as a music enthusiast, doing mixing of songs is like weaving together FOSS code.Aug 10 23:33
twitter:)Aug 10 23:51
schestowitzhttp://www.archive.org/deta...Aug 10 23:52
*kentma has quit (Read error: 113 (No route to host))Aug 10 23:58

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Links for the day
The Register MS: Paid-For SPAM Advocating Chinese Colonialism in Africa, Not Even a Disclosure (as Before)
Does The Register MS recognise what this piece is promoting and who for?
Techrights Never Defended Rapists
In the past, I and others got falsely accused of "defend[ing] a rapist"
"Regular Silent Layoffs and PIPs" at Microsoft, According to Microsoft Insider
Many people leave without a fuss, only a signed NDA
Gaming Companies Help Promote Rootkits ('Anticheat') and Help Microsoft Take Control of People's PCs
The industry in its current form acts a bit more like a cabal of power-hungry companies that actively try to back-door everything and smear people who oppose that
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) Turns 38 Next Month
IRC did well because over 300k users are on significant networks (simultaneous, also counting bots and cross-network overlaps)
opensourceforu.com is a Slopfarm, It's Not "Open Source" and It's Not "For U"
Slop "For U"
DRM and Ownership
We now even have PCs that "expire"
GNU/Linux Reaches 6% in North America
Tomorrow around 10AM we'll see what preliminary data they get for July
IBM Layoffs Still Happening in 2026, They're Just Not Being Reported
The demise of IBM accompanies the demise of the media
SLAPP Censorship - Part 124 Out of 200: The Court Deems My Wife Connected to the Case of the Serial Strangler From Microsoft, Invites Her to the Hearing Last Week
Brett Wilson LLP does not play by the rules
Paying Severance to Staff Laid Off by Microsoft Too Expensive for Microsoft Now?
When companies earn such a bad reputation (not paying severance to people they discard) it lowers morale even further
Microsoft Mass Layoffs Due to Money Problems (Debt, Lack of Money to Complete Payroll), Not "Hey Hi"
If Microsoft later comes up with some "Hey Hi" narrative, then immediately reject it
Stop Conflating Free Software With Slop Plagiarism and Time-wasting
Even decades ago people could use "compute" for lots of fuzzing, then file away false or unaudited reports using bots
What Security Means
Security does not mean asking Microsoft for permission
Microsoft May be Losing 10,000+ Workers This Month
Here's the quick math
BSN Senior School Leidschenveen is Shutting Down and What That Means to the European Patent Office (EPO)
Follow-up meeting with Site Manager VP1 on school matters
Gemini Links 01/07/2026: Keeping (Relatively) Cool plus Adventures in Solar, Camp Snap Cameras and XTEINK X4 Ereader Reviews
Links for the day
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Different Strokes For Different Folks
Organisation operating in two parallel universes
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, June 30, 2026
GNU/Linux Measured at 4.4% by statCounter, Even More by analytics.usa.gov
GNU/Linux has fared well
Getting Skyped: Closure of Studios Microsoft Bought
wait till July and the mass layoffs outside XBox
Several Waves of Red Hat Layoffs This Year, Is This Still Going on Under IBM?
The PIPs and NDAs hard to get a clear picture
Sabine Hossenfelder Versus IBM Scamming Shareholders
IBM has become a garage of BS
Some XBox Layoffs Underway, At Least Five Studios to be Shut Down
Insiders are in a state of panic
Gemini Links 30/06/2026: Music Theory, Addiction, Clown Computing
Links for the day
Links 30/06/2026: France Recorded 1,000 Excess Deaths During Heat Wave, Slop Replaced by Human Staff
Links for the day
WordPress Becoming What We Feared It Would Become
WordPress and other such bloatware (WordPress used to be fast and light) are moving in the same trajectory that GAFAM leads
People Given the Totally Wrong Idea That "Secure Boot" is About Security (It's the Opposite, It's About Handing Control Over to NSA/Microsoft)
"Secure Boot" with capital "B" is conflating compromise with security.
Today The Register MS is Publishing Fake Articles About "AI", 100% of All "Content"
Maybe the media is dying because it is selling its soul [...] The Register MS has no standard
America Has Cost Europe Too Much
Countries ought to be controlling all their own systems
GAFAM Debt Will Surge, in July We'll Know by How Much
Do not fall for slop or sloppy narratives
Call for European Patent Office (EPO) Whistleblowers
The European Patent Organisation (EPO) might not reform the Office
400-Page US Federal Court Against Abuses by Google, Microsoft and Front Groups That Abuse Volunteers for American Corporations
There are 386 pages in total (in the US claim)
Projection Tactics - Part IV: SLAPP by Americans Against Techrights (UK) to Hide Serious Abuses Against American Women
"PRs need to stop being complicit in suppression of information via SLAPPs"
Five Years Ago, After We Broke the Story About Richard Stallman Rejoining the FSF's Board, All Hell Broke Loose (for Me and My Family)
They generally seem to target anyone who thinks Richard Stallman (RMS) should be in charge or thinks alike about computing
Projection Tactics - Part II: Causing "Serious Harm" to Many People (Even Animals)
Narcissists and sociopaths are like that
Too Many "Marketers on the Payroll" at IBM, Selling Impossible Products That Cannot be Delivered or Will Never Deliver
IBM is rotting away
Media Says Microsoft's (XBox) Layoffs May be Record-Breaking
think somewhere in the range of ~5000 for gaming/XBox alone
Sirius Open Source's Latest Report: Fake (False) Number of Staff, Almost No Money in the Bank, Overdraft, and Growing Debt (About £100,000 More Borrowed)
massive (and still growing) debt
Links 30/06/2026: What's Wrong With EU Age Verification, RSA Keys with Many Zeros
Links for the day
This is Not a Security, This is a Circus
Security does not mean "asked Microsoft for permission"
Communities Need Strong Leadership, Not Dictators Like IBM
Leadership in Free software is not ownership [...] Fedora will only last as long as IBM can somehow make some money out of it or leverage it to attract sharecropping
Patents Are Not "Cash Cows"
People who deliberately don't understand patents (or believe lies about them) will fail to understand how the world works (or does not work)
Sad Lives of People Who Think Women Are Just Sexual Toys (All They Have is Money)
money is still a man-made concept and life is finite
SLAPP Censorship - Part 123 Out of 200: Why Violence Against Animals Matters
Starting tomorrow (Wednesday) we'll begin telling stories about what happened last week
EPO Staff Union's (SUEPO) The Hague Committee, With Help of Lawyer, Challenges Lack of Rewards for Hard Work
The EPO is not about granting valid patents anymore. The horse-trading corrupt officials just see the EPO as some thing that "prints money"
Massive EPO Demonstration Today
It'll start in about 6 hours
More Layoffs in Microsoft's PR Department, Even Ahead of 'D-Day'
Notice they are not even waiting for the official date (nor week)
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Photo-Ops Galore and Suspicions of Influence-Peddling
coverage of the EPO's Croatian junket
Gemini Links 30/06/2026: Music and Broken Hearts
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, June 29, 2026
IRC logs for Monday, June 29, 2026