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Hi Frederick and everyone
This is the first time I've heard the expression FLOSS :)
FOSS yes, but FLOSS no, and it's quite good!
Free/Open source software is really important to APC. Infact our own content managent system - the APC ActionApps http://www.apc.org/actionapps/ - which was devised to help civil society groups pool their content online and create shared portal websites - was launched under the GNU GPL last year.
We see FOSS as a real and tangible way for moving towards attaining the right to communicate for all.
In our "Internet Rights charter" one of the points is specifically on FOSS:
Theme 4: The licensing and control of Intellectual property
4.1 Proprietary solutions and intellectual property: Policy and regulation that govern public access and dissemination of public information need to discourage the use of proprietary software and systems. Governments that make use of proprietary systems to disseminate information or for educational purposes, encourage others to purchase legal licenses or violate intellectual property regulations. This discourages local innovation and learning and enriches privately owned corporations, usually based in the North. APC calls for the use of open source and free software solutions. Working with open source options is empowering, it builds skills, is more sustainable, and it encourages innovation at the local level.
Many APC members have been real advocates for free software and also open content since they started working online in the mid 1980s for some. Now I'd say our most avid advocates are based in Colombia and Ecuador. Others such as members in Brazil and Argentina tend to be more pragmatic than political in their use and advocacy of FOSS. As one of the technical directors said recently: "we will be happy to support and disseminate [the software as long as it is ] free to copy, redistribute, change, and run."
Let me know what it is that you need for your study and I'll see what I come up with. I'd also suggest that you take a look at the back issues of APCNews, the latest of which Frederick attached. http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews
All the best Karen
Karen Higgs, APC Communications Manager Tel: +598 - 2 - 400 6460 (GMT -3) APC: http://www.apc.org ______________________________________________________
APCNews: Civil society's monthly e-bulletin on strategic uses of the Internet to promote social justice and equality. From the APC, an international online community or peace, human rights, development and the environment since 1990.
To receive the news direct, write to: webeditor@apc.org or visit: http://www.apc.org/english/news ______________________________________________________
APCNoticias: Un bolet�n electr�nico dirigido a la sociedad civil, enfocado en el uso de Internet para promover la justicia e igualdad social realizado por APC. Para recibir las noticias directamente, escribe a: webeditor@apc.org o visite: http://www.apc.org/espanol/news