Notices by Simon Phipps (webmink@meshed.cloud)

Switzerland passes law requiring #OpenSource software in the public sector. "All public bodies must disclose the source code of software developed by or for them, unless precluded by third-party rights or security concerns" Well done @maemst, great work!

https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/open-source-observatory-osor/news/new-open-source-law-switzerland

@PhenomX6
That's not terribly helpful or kind.

@lightweight
All I am trying to explain is that adding yet more infra to the already tottering pile of legacy was not on the cards for the website migration or the (excellent) vendor doing it. The time will come but for now neither conspiracy nor hypocrisy is a fair accusation for any of the people involved. In fact sitting here at 1am after a full day fighting the actual enemies of software freedom it's pretty hurtful.

@downey Or (b) we already have it for historic reasons (it was set up by volunteer directors a long time ago) and it's a work of steady progress.

@downey
There is nothing quite like the feeling of working your ass off in the FOSS community on a bunch of things only to be rewarded with someone deciding to criticise the bit you haven't done yet.

It's even better when they build a conspiracy theory out of it and call you a hypocrite.

@downey There are No. New. Actions. in this area, we are just using existing infra choices that have not come up for fixing yet.

In an ideal world one would have infinite resources to fix everything that's flawed every time it's observed. But sure, hate on everything we do because there are still flaws to fix. Just lay off the false conspiracy theories and hypocricy slurs because we're real people and that hurts us.

@dentangle Frankly I find Zoom unusable in most cases on ChromeOS, while Jitsi and BBB keep working fine. I wonder if those of us who solve problems rather than complain about them need to do a bit more complaining...?

@lightweight
But calling open source software open source software doesn't involve an "F" so why is that indicative of antipathy towards copyleft?

@osi @msw

@dirkhh
Well yes, that was my point 😉

@osi @lightweight @msw @larsmb

@sjvn
She was the one that took my deposition for that trial. No words.

@msw @sjvn The great irony was if Android had used OpenJDK there might not have been a lawsuit.

@larsmb
I disagree somewhat. The VC sickness has sucked a lot of the air out of the room to be sure, but both MPL and EPL are still breathing, still copyleft and still considered open source.

There is more to reciprocal licensing than just FSF licenses, and having work for software freedom through open source undermined by a proxy war against the *GPL is unhelpful.

The best way to address strip-miners is to call them out on it, not pitch open source vs free software.

@msw @lightweight @osi

@lightweight
I don't hear that skewed usage when I'm out representing OSI in Europe. Do you have any data to back up the assertion? @osi certainly does not treat open source as excluding reciprocal licensing, tacitly or expressly.

@msw

@msw
I'm unclear of your point. I'm not disagreeing that big tech and their VCs have fought hard to make people fear reciprocal licensing. I am disagreeing that they have succeeded at making "open source" mean "no copyleft" except in the minds of advocates who already disliked OSI's impudence in defining a viable term for software freedom that didn't include "free", especially because it worked.

@lightweight @osi

@oemb1905
I have little patience for arguments about linguistic framing that also contrast "Permissive" vs GPL when the GPL is itself a permissive license. That usage is an indicator of a partisan actor.
https://meshedinsights.com/2021/01/27/all-open-source-licenses-are-permissive/

@larsmb @msw @lightweight @osi

@lightweight
I'm pretty happy to call 'em all out when they abuse that word "permissive". The whole reason open source works is because it's all permissive and people who want you to think the GPL isn't are either trying to scare you away from it or define you as outside their clan.

@oemb1905 @larsmb @msw @osi