To: infosoc4all yahoogroups.com
From: "J Cravens <jayne.cravens unvolunteers.org>"
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 14:46:08 -0000
Subject: [infosoc4all] @ WSIS prep com, U.S. forces drop of support
for Open Support
"A three-day meeting that brought together Asian governments,
organizations, companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
ended Wednesday morning with the approval of a declaration that,
among other things, calls for encouraging the development of open-
source software. A draft of the declaration had called for open
source to be 'supported' but was changed after objections from the
U.S. government delegation late Tuesday night."
http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/01/15/030115hnwsisos_1.html
"... the Regional Conference came up with one of those declarations
that big governmental conferences always do: lots of words about
bridging the digital divide and closer cooperation and free ice cream
for everyone. But they also had a declaration to "support" Open
Source software development and deployment in their governments and
regions."
http://pigdog.org/auto/digital_gar_gar_gar/link/2781.html
[snip]
"BUT, you see, BUT, there was a little hitch in the plan for everyone
to put out their declaration and head back to their swanky hotels for
a night of high-priced Japanese food-sex hookers. The hitch was that
the US delegation -- delegates from the US Department of State,
folks, people paid using our tax money -- demanded the removal of the
clause for support of Open Source software. Apparently, the US
government is OFFICIALLY AGAINST Free Software, and intends to block
international efforts to support its use."
The person who re-posted the above to the Digital Divide Network
discussion group said:
"I feel that the majority of stakeholders do not have a voice at WSIS
particularly in the areas of social justice and digital divide.
Has anybody attended WSIS Prepcoms or regional conferences? It would
be interesting to know how people in the digital or knowledge divide
are being represented at WSIS."