[Wolves] Episode 8 LugRadio and the elections

[Tom Edwards]

Matthew Revell wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> LugRadio 8 is online.
>
> We're putting together a special report on the elections, trying to 
> look at how you can use your vote to support information freedom and 
> open source software. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.
>
> Matthew.
>
Hello All,
Long time ghoster, third/fourth/fith time poster.
(I apologise that I have taken so long to reply but I am in the middle 
of finals... whoop one left... damned fluid dynamics).

<soapbox>

I have been involved with Student Politics the last few years and 
through this I have got invovled with the Liberal Democrats.

Now with regards to Software Patents and IR35, this 
http://www.libdems.org.uk/documents/policies/Policy_Papers/MakingITWork.pdf 
document outline the Party's policy. It was debated at the 2003 Spring 
Conference and in summary is generally against Software Patents and says 
that a review of IR35 would come into place when elected.

However unfortunatley MEP Lib Dems did vote for Software Patents in the 
European Parliament following the advice of the Liberal Leader in the 
European Parliament, however this caused much protest within the party 
with the Student Wing (LDYS) passing a policy condeming the action.

http://www.ldys.org.uk/web/policy/softwarepatents.html.

If you were planning a sort of election special on this from a Linux 
perspective for Lug Radio then you might want to speak to the Liberal 
Democrat MP Richard Allan, www.richardallan.org.uk, he seems to be very 
anti-software patents and I am sure he could be asked to comment for the 
programme (he even hosts on Debian).

</soapbox>

<lug rant>

On a further point following the comments that this thread seem to be 
full of.

I have been following this list for years now, at first I was too young 
to go to the meetings, then I went to Uni too far away to get there.

Opinion 1: Pure technical talk is boring, I tried to start a LUG, it 
died a horrible death, because there was no humour / life / fun. It's 
one of the reasons that I love Lug Radio so much, that is how I wanted 
it to be. It was always about technical issues and soon most of the 
interesting people left. Last thing I heard they were all sitting in the 
same room, using a wireless network to talk on IRC to each other.

Opinion 2: There do seem to be people who post more than others, and 
it's difficult sometimes to have the confidence to voice an opinion or 
silly comment without knowing the people involved, in fact sometimes I 
think my flat hair makes me part of the furniture. Yet every time I have 
got involved no-one has humiliated me, or anything like that, I don't 
really know why I don't do it more.

Opinion 3: Surely more is better? Why can't there be lots of stuff going 
on in the lug mailing list, its not as though the amount of mail is 
excessive and it doesn't really do any damage.

So congratulations to "Inner Circle" for what appears to be a very 
healthy and innovative LUG.

</lug rant>

Have lots of fun

Tom