[CS-FSLUG] Invitation to Free Culture Dialogue

[Don Parris]

I've been reading the book, "Free Culture".  In it, Lawrence Lessig proposes
some changes to our current copyright system that aim to restore the balance
we have lost over the last 30-40 years.  My exploration of this issue as it
pertains to libre software has led me to expand the scope of my study to the
areas of art, literature, music and video.  The application of copyright to
these areas is closely related to the software arena.

We are losing our public domain.  This means that, given the current trends
in copyright law, all creative works will be regulated with no easy way to
obtain permission to create derivative works.  Libraries would need to spend
large sums of money to clear the rights to produce, for example, a web-based
presentation about Roosevelt's New Deal (movie & news clips, other such
info).  I may not be able to adequately convey here the harm being done to
our public domain, which has been a part of the American legal tradition
from the foundation of our country.

Libre software is, at bottom line, an effort to restore the balance of
copyright law with respect to software. The Creative Commons has provided a
similar venue for other creative works. There are other organizations
working toward the same goals. I think this balance is fundamental, not only
to our national Constitution, but also to our Christian ideals. 

I would like to invite list members who are interested to a dialogue
centered around "Free Culture".  The goal of this discussion would be to
develop a strategy for educating the Church about the importance of
maintaining a free culture (and thus, a free society).  We, the Christian
libre software community, are the ideal prononents of such an educational
effort.

The book is @ $10-11 (US) through Amazon.  If enough people are interested,
I'll see if we can setup a new e-mail list somehow to facilitate the
discussion.  indeed, we may be able to use one of the forums already in
place.  Either way,  I pray you'll give ear and much thought to this
invitation.  We definitely need a dialogue among the brethren - on a
nationwide scale, in my opinion.

Blessings,
Don
-- 
evangelinux    GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/                   http://chaddb.sourceforge.net/
"Free software is like God's love - you can share it with anyone anytime
anywhere." 


-- 
evangelinux    GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/                   http://chaddb.sourceforge.net/
"Free software is like God's love - you can share it with anyone anytime anywhere."