[Gllug] (forw) [rufus.pollock at okfn.org: talk thursday at Imperial on open knowledge]

[SteveC]

Interesting talk on Thursday, might be of interest.



Title of Talk
=============

'Information wants to be free, but is everywhere in chains'

   Fighting for Open Knowledge in an Age of Enclosure

A talk by Rufus Pollock of the Open Knowledge Foundation

Where
=====

Thursday 10th March 6pm
Room 121, Sir Alexander Fleming building, Imperial College.

Imperial College Road runs west off the bottom of Exhibition Road. The 
Sir Alexander Fleming building is halfway along on the south side. Go 
through the entrance way, up the stairs straight ahead and continue for 
twenty metres. There will be signs up and Pugwash people around to guide 
you.

Nearest tube: South Kensington

See a map: http://tinyurl.com/5u66s

More Details
============

Did you know that:

   * Copyright lasts on average for more than 90 years and that over 95%
of the works in copyright aren't available commercially in any form.

   * Millions of people in underdeveloped countries do not have access
to life-saving drugs because patents make them prohibitively expensive.

   * Most academic journals are the work of publicly-funded scholars but
their content is privately owned and often rationed out at prohibitive
cost.

   * Restrictive digital rights managment systems lock down knowledge 
and pose one of the greatest threats to free/open source software

As we move into a digital age the lines are blurring between information
and software. The methods of open collaboration pioneered by the 
free/open source software movements provide a model for the information 
revolution, as well as the tools to bring it about. But for every 
promise of open knowledge that technology offers there is a 
corresponding threat, often from large interests who wish to see 
knowledge 'enclosed' and proprietized. So far those seeking enclosure 
have dominated - with the disastrous consequences and great costs 
outlined above. If we are prevent this in the future and take advantage 
of the vast potential technology offers we must take a stand for open 
knowledge.

=============

Rufus Pollock is Director of the Open Knowledge Foundation
(www.openknowledgefoundation.org), organizes FFII in the UK and is also
actively involved in Creative Commons.


----- End forwarded message -----

have fun,

SteveC steve at fractalus.com http://www.fractalus.com/steve/
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