Media Releases archive

SFD3 2006

Christchurch NZ team

http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/teams/oceania/nz/christchurch

1. "Celebrate software freedom", SFD team invites computer users.

Local technologists hold Free Software education day.

Press Release: Software Freedom Day, Team Christchurch. 11th September 2006.

The third annual Software Freedom Day is this weekend. The international festival of Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) is celebrated around the world. "FOSS and SFD are especially popular in developing countries, where software license costs form a barrier to learning", says SFD Christchurch team leader, Rik Tindall. "Software Freedom Day is about diversity and skill range in computer education."

"Few people realise that quality PC software is freely available, without breaching copyright licences. To remedy this, Software Freedom Day publicises Free and Open-Source Software", Tindall says. "Better known examples are Firefox web browser, OpenOffice.org office suite, and GNU/Linux operating system distributions like Ubuntu. All these will be demonstrated at our local event, this weekend."

SFD Christchurch is spread over two afternoons, 16 and 17 September, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. Its venue is the well-resourced South Learning Centre, South Christchurch Library, 66 Colombo Street, Beckenham. A workshop will be run continuously, advising on internet security and FOSS installation technique. DVDs will be screened, and Ubuntu FOSS CDs given out.

"Benefits of running legal free software include greater system security, more regular updates, and a supportive community that speeds both learning and software development", says Tindall. "Free and Open-Source systems are the way of the future, due to distributed development's efficiency and enthusiastic support. Most importantly, it's just great fun to get 'under the bonnet' of your PC software, and make a lot of new friends while doing so", Tindall says.

"A cordial invite is extended to parents and teachers, large and small business operators - home and office - and technicians, to sample the clean and productive working environment, and the tidy educational tools, that FOSS makes available, this Software Freedom Day."

Ends

WHAT: Software Freedom Day - international Free and Open-Source Software festival.

WHEN: 12pm to 4pm, Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 September 2006

WHERE: South Learning Centre, South Christchurch Library, 66 Colombo Street, Beckenham, Christchurch.

CONTACT: Rik Tindall sfd@infohelp.co.nz Ph 03-332-1069 or 027-406-0077

2. "NZ takes global software project lead"

Education innovation addresses IT skills shortage.

Media release: Software Freedom Day 4, Team Christchurch. 17th September 2006.

The fourth annual Software Freedom Day has arrived a year early, for one IT educator team. The global celebration of computing independence is growing steadily, with 180 teams from over 70 countries taking part in 2006. Australia has claimed the title for the most teams in one country, at 15, after a big contribution to the year-old Software Freedom International organisation. New Zealand had six teams registered, but the Christchurch team, uniquely, is extending SFD 3 into its second day.

The significance of the milestone was explained by the SFD Christchurch team leader, Rik Tindall.

“Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) is the main component on which the Internet runs. As such it is hidden, along with its importance, from general public view. But a far deeper technical insight has great priority for every modern society - perhaps the greatest. For example, both Labour and National's websites are run on FOSS, and Green Party policy is very much tending to promote it. Nandor Tanczos reportedly joined the Auckland SFD event. It is now a matter of joining the dots for the rest of the country,” Tindall says. “The facilitation skill-set FOSS delivers is unique.”

“We live in an addicted culture, overburdened by health and policing costs as a result. The place to start breaking addiction is our own computer screens. FOSS multiplies information choice. The core difference from deploying FOSS is changing the concept of computers from consumer appliance to communications tool. By empowering the user, visual capture by commercial product is broken. Healing of mind, body, and spirit can thereafter begin. This isn't an abstract cause, because if politicians, educators, journalists, and the rest of society's leaders were wishing to retain what respect they have from the young generation, they would be acting upon this today. Christchurch SFD team has invited the general public and news media to participate in a live demonstration of computing liberation, at its fourth Software Freedom Day,” reports Tindall.

FOSS will be used and explained for a further SFDay, at the South Learning Centre, South Christchurch Library, 66 Colombo Street, Beckenham, from 12pm to 4pm, Sunday 17 September 2006. Training centres on the Ubuntu GNU/Linux operating system distribution, and software running consistent with that. A secure, virus-free work environment is created, increasing productivity. From this stable platform is offered an alternate course, for how computer users' number one bane will be solved – that of spam junkmail.

“At the moment we are locked into a treadmill by which our productive output is being eroded daily, through unsolicited advertising broadcasts to our Inboxes,” Tindall advises. “Computer monoculture is to blame. Expect in the near future to see proprietary software offering a filtering solution at the operating system level, that monitors every email communication and adds a small charge for each legitimate item to the user. Free and Open-Source Software is the better direction because it substitutes the spam platform itself, in infinite meaningful ways,” Tindall concludes.

“The way forward is to show how each individual can grow with computing, once their minds – and their desktops - are set free from commercial servitude. The nature of work has been changed forever by the ICT revolution. But it is up to each of us to now ensure that this change becomes an improvement.”