[mdlug] President's mail bag [Fwd: Wanted: Free Software resources for all families and schools]

[Raymond McLaughlin]

Looks like it's worth passing on.
Ray
> Sat, 28 Jul 2007 22:05:24 +0200 (CEST)
> Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2007 22:05:24 +0200
> From: Marco Fioretti <marco at digifreedom.net>
> To: president at mdlug.org
> Subject: Wanted: Free Software resources for all families and schools
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> I am a freelance writer specialized in FOSS topics, Contributing
> editor of Linux Journal
> (http://www.linuxjournal.com/xstatic/corporate/staff/Marco) and member
> of the OpenDocument Fellowship.
> 
> I'd like to let you know about a new personal initiative of mine,
> which will hopefully make lots of parents and teachers understand why
> they cannot ignore FOSS and Free Culture anymore in the interest of
> their own children.
> 
> I am going to publish on the Digifreedom website:
> 
> * a directory of Digitally Free Schools, that all parents may check
>   when choosing a new school for their children.
>   http://digifreedom.net/node/55
> 
> * one of bad public websites,     http://digifreedom.net/node/76
> 
> * one of Trashware organizations, http://digifreedom.net/node/92
> 
> * a list of examples of "Bad ICT information", that is links to
>   article from mainstream press or websites which have no clue of what
>   Free Software actually is, so all parents and other non-hackers can
>   learn to recognize them.
> 
> * forums on Digitally Free School and Digitally Free Families:
>   http://digifreedom.net/forum/30
>   where all citizens concerned about the attacks on the Digital
>   Freedom of their schools or families can work together to protect
>   it.
> 
> All these are and will always remain absolutely free services to the
> whole community: I hope to make of these databases something that all
> parents and teachers, especially those who know nothing or very little
> about software, will be able to use to do the right choices in the
> best interest of their children's education and of their own civil
> rights.
> 
> The reason why I am writing is only to let your LUG know that I always
> welcome any submission to any of those databases (the more the better),
> either through the forums above or via direct email.
> 
> Obviously, should you find it appropriate, you are also welcome to
> spread the word about the databases, forums and my Open Letter to
> Mothers about Software (http://digifreedom.net/node/74) as much as you
> wish, *especially* outside Free Software circles. Teachers, parents
> associations, churches, senior citizens clubs, any youth organization,
> whatever: the more non-programmers we can reach with this approach,
> the better it would be for Free Standards and Software.
> 
> Thank you in advance for your time! Any general feedback is also
> welcome!
> 
>         Best Regards,
> 
>         Marco Fioretti