[ubuntu-us] [Document Freedom Day: 26 March 2008]

[Christer Edwards]

I thought some of the US teams might want to participate in this.  Looks
like we now have 'software freedom day' 'document freedom day' and 'open
discussion day'.  

----- Forwarded message from Robert Schumann <robert at softwarefreedomday.org> -----

Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2008 11:35:54 +0000
From: Robert Schumann <robert at softwarefreedomday.org>
To: SFD announce <sfd-announce at sf-day.org>,
	SFD discussion list <sfd-discuss at sf-day.org>
Subject: [SFD-announce] Document Freedom Day: 26 March 2008

   Hi all SFD enthusiasts,

   Below is a press release from the organisers of Document Freedom Day,
   which is happening on 26 March. DFD is organised by a different
   organisation from SFD, but we're happy to support their message and
   encourage people to get out on the streets in support of open information
   exchange!

   Robert.

   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   [ http://documentfreedom.org/News/20080220 ]

   Introducing Document Freedom Day
     26 March: A global day for document liberation
     Sign up your DFD team today!

   The Document Freedom Day (DFD) is a global day for Document Liberation
   with grassroots action for promotion of Free Document Formats and Open
   Standards in general. The DFD was initiated and is supported by a group of
   organisations and companies, including, but not limited to, the Free
   Software Foundation Europe, ODF Alliance, OpenForum Europe, IBM, Red Hat
   and Sun Microsystems, Inc.

   On 26 March 2008, the Document Freedom Day will provide a global rallying
   point for Document Liberation and Open Standards. It will literally give
   teams around the world the chance to "hoist the flag": A "DFD Starter
   Pack" containing a flag, t-shirt, leaflets and stickers is in preparation
   and is planned to be sent out in the first weeks of March to the first 100
   teams that sign up. Sixteen teams already signed up during the preparation
   phase of the DFD prior to this release. Sign your team up now!

   "We're proud to support this global effort to encourage open and inclusive
   information exchange," said Marino Marcich, Managing Director, Open
   Document Format Alliance.  "Document freedom means creating,
   exchanging, and preserving your electronic documents without having to buy
   software from a particular vendor."

   "Data lock-in and subsequent vendor lock-in are some of the most severe
   issues users are facing today," says FSFE president Georg Greve. "Yet most
   people only realise this connection when it is too late and they have
   effectively lost control over their own data. We are supporting the
   Document Freedom Day to help raise awareness for this issue by starting
   with something that affects pretty much all users of computers: text
   documents, spreadsheets and presentations."

   "Free document formats and open standards are important elements in the
   continued expansion of the global open source community," said Tom Rabon,
   executive vice president, Corporate Affairs at Red Hat.  "Red Hat strongly
   supports Document Freedom Day and encourages participation by all who look
   forward to the day when documents are controlled by those who own them,
   not necessarily by those who create the technology to access those
   documents."

   Simon Phipps, Chief Open Source Officer, Sun Microsystems stated, "As I
   explained in my paper "Freedom to Leave", it's fundamental in the emerging
   market for people to be free to use any software they desire tohandle
   their data. I fully support the goals of Document Freedom ."

   Alexandre Oliva of the Free Software Foundation Latin America (FSFLA)
   comments: "When you save your documents using a Free Open Standard format
   such as ODF, you're also saving your own future, ensuring your continued
   ability to access, decode and convert their contents."

   Graham Taylor Director of OpenForum Europe: "OpenForum Europe applauds the
   announcement of Document Freedom Day. The whole essence of 'openness' is
   captured by the right of users, citizens, governments... to be able to
   freely access and exchange documents todayand in the future. Nothing gives
   greater meaning to the prevalent danger of lock-in to proprietary
   solutions, and for the need for Government to act now."

   About Document Freedom Day:

   The Document Freedom Day (DFD) is a global day for Document Liberation. It
   is a day of grassroots effort around the world to promote and build
   awareness for the relevance of Free Document Formats in particular and
   Open Standards in general. The DFD is supported by a large group of
   organisations and individuals, including, but not limited to Ars Aperta,
   COSS, Esoma, Free Software Foundations Europe and Latin America, IBM,
   NLnet, ODF Alliance, OpenForum Europe, OSL, iMatix, Red Hat, Sun
   Microsystems, Inc., The Open Learning Centre, Opentia, Estandares
   Abiertos.

   The list of DFD supporting groups can be found at
      http://documentfreedom.org/Who

   The list of DFD teams is available at
      http://documentfreedom.org/Category:Teams

   Further information:
    http://documentfreedom.org

   Contact:
    contact at documentfreedom.org

    Graham Taylor      graham at openforumeurope.org
    Ivan Jelic         jelic at fsfeurope.org
    Kerri Catallozzi   kcatallo at redhat.com
    Marino Marcich     mmarcich at odfalliance.org
    Marko Milenovic    milenovic at fsfeurope.org
    Terri Molini       terri.molini at sun.com
    FSFLA              info at fsfla.org


_______________________________________________
SFD-announce mailing list
SFD-announce at sf-day.org
http://mail.sf-day.org/lists/listinfo/sfd-announce


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
My 5 today: #195661 (cupsys)
Do 5 a day - every day! https://wiki.ubuntu.com/5-A-Day
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