[Ambassadors] Fedora UK Community Website

[Mathieu Bridon (bochecha)]

> Hi,
>
> (I'm a new ambassador - hope people don't mind me poking my nose in, but
> I'm in the UK :)
>
> Mathieu Bridon (bochecha) wrote:
>> As Christoph said, the fp.o is hosted in the US, that says much more.
>> For example, libdvdcss is _not_ illegal anymore in France. This means
>> that
>> we can read encrypted DVDs in France and explain how to do that.
>>
>
> I was under the impression that with DAVDSI/EUCD, libdvdcss is still
> verboten in Europe, but I suppose that is slightly beside the point.

Well, the "Conseil d'État" stated in July 2008 that libdvdcss is legal in
France, given the fact that it ensures interoperability (it is even
necessary for interoperability on Linux).

> I think it's important to separate the legal/"what is free" question
> from the question of contribution

Yes it is, those two aspects are not related. But when it comes to local
community websites, those are two (different) arguments in favour.

> dividing users based on
> their locality isn't good (and doesn't quite match their language
> preference either!)

> and I'm not totally sure that it would work legally
> in terms of allowing the ability to talk about/promote software that the
> main project can't use.

Well, legally, the French law (if we take again the exemple of the
libdvdcss) doesn't prevent us to promote its use. Which means that an
interdiction to do so can only come from the Fedora Project itself.

Of course, the Fedora Project can't promote it, but does it want to
prevent a local community to promote it, preventing its users to read DVDs
they legally bought and can legally watch ?

Also, a local community / NPO can be a "grassroots", and not be affiliated
to the Project in itself. This solves the problem of promoting stuff the
Project can't use, as we can then speak as a "local community", not as
"representatives of the Project".

I personnally always use this double speach when I have to both promote
free and open standards (the view of the Fedora Project representatives)
to someone, as well as allow him to do stuff he needs to (the view of the
user / community guy). However, the Project representative always has the
last word by explaining the implications of going on with non free or
closed software and standards.

I have no problem with this slight schyzophrenia, and as both sides are
needed but only one can be provided by the Fedora Project, local community
websites are definitely a good idea.

Regards,


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Mathieu Bridon (bochecha)
French Fedora Ambassador

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"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~Benjamin Franklin