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Dear all HLUGers,
 
Sarah has written to the Hereford Times asking them to correct the errors in
their coverage of the VINUX/SFD story. I think it would be useful for as many
people as possible to write to the paper; outwith the hlug connection, to tell
them how they got it wrong, and why it matters.
With this in mind, here are the main points raised by Sarah, and some further
issues to raise.

To: fiona.phillips at herefordtimes.com
 

I am writing to you to correct some inaccuracies in one of the articles in  the
Hereford Times of 16/09/10. 
The article which appeared in the paper on page 31 contained several
inaccuracies


Ubuntu Linux does not cost thousands - it is free and open source - it is the
proprietary commercial software which is expensive.
The article says that Dr Sales joined forces with Open Source Software - as if
it was a business or organisation - open source software is the software that is
created by the global open source community.Tony joined with other members of
that community to create Vinux - it is an important distinction.
The article failed to mention that the software freedom day event was not only
the most significant in the west midlands region, but was part of a global
celebration of the free software movement, over 2 million people co-operating to
create and share world class software.

Worth mentioning; 
Open Source software is increasingly deployed by local and national governments
to break the fabulously costly cycle of upgrades and vendor lockin which has
cost our country and this county staggering amounts of taxpayers money.
Using Open Source in education empowers children and students to understand IT
not just use one commercial software set.
Open Source standards allow sharing of documents and files, anyone can get the
software used to create it for free; this is supported by the International
Standards Organisation and resisted vigorously by certain well known software
sellers.


Go!
Pete H@