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Newer page: version 6 Last edited on Friday, November 19, 2004 10:05:25 am by JohnMcPherson
Older page: version 5 Last edited on Friday, November 19, 2004 9:41:10 am by CraigBox Revert
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 [http://rodneyhide.com/Diary/wp-images/uploads/Ben%20Goodger.jpg] 
  
 (Rodney Hide, right, with MozillaFirefox lead developer, Ben Goodger.) 
  
-RodneyHide, ACT party leader, on OpenSource. 
+RodneyHide, ACT party leader, talked to [WLUG] with his views on OpenSource.  
+  
+Rodney started this meeting by telling us he was a technophile -- he enjoyed using OS/2, and ever since has found MicrosoftWindows to be 'unintuitive'. He is a big fan of his P900 phone, and adds to his blog daily.  
+  
+He spoke about his background in environmental sustainability, and economics, and how that had encouraged him to believe in evolutionary processes exemplified by the free market rather than a plan designed by a committee which can not easily evolve.  
+  
+He likened the committee approach to Microsoft, and the evolutionary "free market" approach to OpenSource. This frightened many, more traditional, capitalists. :-) He believes in the process of OSS software and software features as a meritocracy, as judged by the market.  
+  
+Rodney then explained his experiences with OpenSource software, such as the GIMP and MozillaFirefox. He also expressed an interest in eventually running purely on OpenSource solutions, with [Linux] as his desktop, but is cognisant of the need for compatibility in Parliament. This led nicely into a discussion of how the parliamentary process worked, and how Rodney could assist us in achieving our goal of advocating [Linux] to government.  
+  
+We identified some of the key issues we'd like addressed - these being:  
+  
+* [Software Patents|SoftwarePatent].  
+* Government information locked up in MS Word format. Open formats are required.  
+* Copyright.  
+* [DRM]. The concept of DRM precludes an Open Source solution.  
+* Govt. Funding – encourage OSS development.  
+* Indemnification – remove the power of FUD.  
+  
+Rodney was very interested to hear about the problem of bad software patents, as he was previously unaware of the situation.  
+  
+From opposition Rodney Can:  
+  
+* Ask Oral questions. (1 per day, with 8 supplementary)  
+* Write Letters.  
+* Parliamentary Questions – unlimited.  
+* Select Committees – can institute an enquiry.  
+  
+The [WLUG] should focus on raising Parliamentary questions, and Rodney will endeavour to assist us in formulating these in the most effective manner
  
-LitB.G.02, TheUniversityOfWaikato. __NOTE LATE TIME: 8pm__  
  
 See ParliamentaryQuestions for the followup. 
  
 ---- 
 See also OldMeetingTopics