[Ubuntu-SG] Should we "Say No to Piracy"?

[C David Rigby]

On Mon, 2009-06-22 at 11:46 +0800, suhaw koh wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> 
> Seeking your thoughts/inputs/advice on the following idea.
> 
> 
> Further to the Schools project idea.
> 
> 
> Since a key tenet of this project is to reinforce the students'
> awareness and respect for IP rights, I was thinking of enlisting the
> assistance of IPOS.
> 
> 
> At there website, I came across the HIP (Honour Intellectual Property)
> Alliance at this url:
>    http://www.ipos.gov.sg/topNav/prg/gen/HIP+(Honour+Intellectual
> +Property)+Alliance.htm
> 
> 
> It describes the Alliance thus:
> 
> 
> "HIP Alliance Members
> 
> The HIP Alliance members include organisations involved in creative
> arts and the creative industries, international organisations,
> industry bodies and private sector players that believe in Singapore's
> message to Say No to Piracy."
> 
> 
> 
> I was just wondering if TUSG should sign up to be a member of the
> alliance ?  I know it is not quite what was envisaged, but I believe
> TUSG should be a strong supporter of "Singapore's message to Say No to
> Piracy".
> 
> 
> What do you think ?
> 
> 
> 
> suhaw
> -- 
> ________________________
> Koh Su Haw  许树浩
> http://suhaw.teresaville.org/
> 

Hello All,

I've been watching this debate go by, and I am tempted to hide behind my
expat status and say, "It's your country, your decision". However, I
never could resist a debate, regardless of the topic! (8-> So, without
recapping I will throw in my $0.02 and be done with it.

I concur with Tom, but I do not think that it matters. The issue is not
that patent and copyright law, following US precedent, has deviated from
its original intent of promoting innovation and become a tool for
protecting incumbent business interests. Clearly that is the case.
Rather, the immediate question is whether TUSG shold join the HIP
alliance.

I suggest not. While I agree that honoring IP laws is important,
promoting that particular agenda is "off-topic" for us. Our mission is
to promote FOSS in general and Ubuntu in particular. To the extent that
we engage in educational activities, our focus should be on the
technical aspects, not the legal ones.

Admittedly, the boundaries between "technical" and "legal" are fuzzy.
However, any groups we join should promote a primary technical
orientation, not a legal one. The "Free and Open" of FOSS refers to how
software is developed. That is a technique, not a legal principle,
though it engages legal and cultural principles.

Regards
CDR