][ stefano maffulli

Join Amazon authors' "drmfree" effort | DefectiveByDesign.org
DefectiveByDesign activists have been tireless in finding and labeling DRM-infected products on Amazon with tags like "defectivebydesign" and "drm". There's another new tag to watch for when you're shopping,
"drmfree". The use of the tag is obvious but the story behind it is important — it's being applied and promoted [...]

Settled, But Not Over Yet – Software Freedom Law Center
The huge cash-stuffed MS bullied TomTom to settlement, but according to SFLC "The FAT filesystem patents on which Microsoft sued are now and have always been invalid patents in our professional opinion." I can't wait until somebody erases the smile off of Ballmer's face.
(tags: microsoft tomtom [...]

Monty says: Time to move on
MySQL founder leaves Sun. "The main reason for leaving was that I am not satisfied with the way the MySQL server has been developed"
(tags: sun opensource development monty mysql)

A job does not give life meaning | Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk
People would be a lot happier with the job they [...]

Stimulus stimulates crowdsourced oversight, activism – Ars Technica
We should setup something like this in Italy.
(tags: government democrazia stimulus transparency democracy)

Italian red-light cameras rigged with shorter yellow lights – Ars Technica
Italians do everything better, scam included. "Italian red-light cameras rigged with shorter yellow lights"
(tags: privacy italy scam traffic redlight t-red tred)

451 CAOS Theory » The Linux [...]

Ctrl-Z: a return to the Supreme Court's software patent ban? – Ars Technica
Tim Berners Lee on software patents: "the Supreme Court actually declined to extend patent protection to software algorithms, preferring to leave the matter to congress. In this feature, we'll take a close look at the Supreme Court's classic trio of software patent decisions. [...]

On Day One, Obama Demands Open Government | Electronic Frontier Foundation
A good start: The President ordered federal agencies in a memorandum released today to approach the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) "with a clear presumption: in the face of doubt, openness prevails."
(tags: freedom government eff obama usa politics)

Christopher Blizzard streaming video in firefox
I love you.
(tags: ping.fm)

Five reasons to seriously consider buying a netbook
Exactly my point: the perfect setup is a all-in-one pretty desktop at home/office and a netbook for the go. Software like Unison will keep everything in sync for you.
(tags: hardware design computer wired ars netbook)

Why the Budget All-in-One Desktop Will Fail | Gadget Lab from Wired.com
Not sure about [...]

Mac OS X 10.5.6 update disables direct iPhone Pwnage jailbreak
Apple's USB engineers have confirmed off the record that it was a conscious move to prevent iPhone customers to jailbreak their phone. It's amazing the amount of disrespectful behavior that Apple manages to throw at its customers without losing their loyalty. It is really a cult, [...]

5 Tips for free software advocates
I like these tips. Most important, price is not a factor to use when advocating free software.
(tags: free+software tips advocacy)