[Programafisl] Fwd: My visit to FISL
Bruno F. Souza
bruno at javaman.com.br
Mon Apr 29 14:49:50 BRT 2013
Eu acho que as duas melhores palestras sao:
>> Copyright vs Community in the Age of Computer Networks
A discussao sobre copyrights eh fundamental, e esta cada vez mais acirrada, aqui
e la fora. Recentemente o governo americano abriu uma chamada publica para
ouvir opinioes sobre copyrights, e isso vai afetar o mundo inteiro, e precisamos
ter mais gente preparada aqui no Brasil para discutir esses assuntos.
>> A Free Digital Society
>> (alternate title, What Makes Digital Inclusion Good or Bad?)
Inclusao digital eh um ponto importante e muito badalado em governos de todos
os niveis e em todos os cantos do Brasil. Alem disso, um mundo de organizacoes
(inclusive a que eu presido) se dizem a favor e trabalhando por "inclusao digital",
e um outro mundo de empresas estao investindo e colocando grana em projetos
de "inclusao digital". Ou seja, eh um topico importante para o Brasil, e quanto
mais gente entender como se pode fazer inclusao digital da maneira correta,
melhor.
Por mais que eu ache que GPL eh importante, o publico do FISL eh muito mais
ecletico do que o publico que vai se interessar por GPLv3...
[]s,
Bruno.
On 29/04/2013, at 13:53, Luis Felipe RM <unixjazz at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 04/29/2013 05:02 AM, Rodrigo Troian wrote:
>> Salve pessoal;
>>
>> segue mais um bloco RMS para resolver:
>>
>> Temário, definir qual palestra queremos;
>>
>
> concordo com o Deivi: a palestra sobre patentes e' importante.
>
> todas as propostas sao muito importantes, mas eu sugiro, ao inves da
> palestra sobre a GPLv3,
> a palestra sobre copyright versus comunidade (assim podemos puxá-lo para
> a trilha Aaron Swartz também).
>
> abraço!
> luisfelipe.
>
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: My visit to FISL
>> Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:04:37 -0400
>> From: Richard Stallman <rms at gnu.org>
>> Reply-To: rms at gnu.org
>> To: Rodrigo Troian <rtroian at softwarelivre.org>
>> CC: rms-assist at gnu.org
>>
>>
>>
>> Can we fix the date, time and topic of my talk at FISL?
>>
>>
>> Here's the info packet about my speeches. This information is
>> essential for planning my visit and speech.
>>
>>
>> Please discuss with me what the topic of this speech should be.
>> We need to decide it together.
>>
>>
>> My talks are not technical. The topics of free software, copyright vs
>> community, and digital inclusion deal with ethical/political issues
>> that concern all users of computers. The topics of GPL version 3 and
>> software patents are mainly of of interest to people that work with
>> software.
>>
>>
>> My usual speech about the Free Software Movement and GNU takes a
>> little over 1.5 hours in English, plus time for questions, photos,
>> distribution of FSF things, and so on. It is best to allow plenty of
>> time for questions, because people usually want to ask a lot of
>> questions. In total, it is best to allow 2.5 hours.
>>
>> "GNU" is pronounced as one syllable with a hard g,
>> like "grew" but with n instead of r.
>>
>> The topics I speak about are
>>
>> Free Software and Your Freedom
>> (alternate titles:
>> The Free Software Movement and the GNU/Linux Operating System,
>> Free Software in Ethics and in Practice)
>>
>> Copyright vs Community in the Age of Computer Networks
>>
>> A Free Digital Society
>> (alternate title, What Makes Digital Inclusion Good or Bad?)
>>
>> The Danger of Software Patents
>>
>> The GNU General Public License
>> What we've changed in version 3, and why
>>
>> The last topic takes under an hour, but it is specialized.
>>
>> Each topic takes substantially longer in languages other than English.
>>
>> I can also possibly speak about some other topic if you suggest one.
>>
>>
>> Abstract:
>>
>> For a speech about Free Software, you can use this abstract:
>>
>> The Free Software Movement campaigns for computer users' freedom
>> to cooperate and control their own computing. The Free Software
>> Movement developed the GNU operating system, typically used together
>> with the kernel Linux, specifically to make these freedoms possible.
>>
>> or
>>
>> Richard Stallman will speak about the goals and philosophy of the
>> Free Software Movement, and the status and history of the GNU
>> operating system, which in combination with the kernel Linux is
>> now used by tens of millions of users world-wide.
>>
>> For Copyright vs Community, you can use this abstract:
>>
>> Copyright developed in the age of the printing press, and was
>> designed
>> to fit with the system of centralized copying imposed by the printing
>> press. But the copyright system does not fit well with computer
>> networks, and only draconian punishments can enforce it.
>>
>> The global corporations that profit from copyright are lobbying
>> for draconian punishments, and to increase their copyright powers,
>> while suppressing public access to technology. But if we
>> seriously hope to serve the only legitimate purpose of
>> copyright--to promote progress, for the benefit of the
>> public--then we must make changes in the other direction.
>>
>> For A Free Digital Society
>>
>> Activities directed at ``including'' more people in the use of
>> digital
>> technology are predicated on the assumption that such inclusion is
>> invariably a good thing. It appears so, when judged solely by
>> immediate practical convenience. However, if we also judge in terms
>> of human rights, whether digital inclusion is good or bad depends on
>> what kind of digital world we are to be included in. If we wish to
>> work towards digital inclusion as a goal, it behooves us to make sure
>> it is the good kind.
>>
>> For The Danger of Software Patents, you can use this abstract:
>>
>> Richard Stallman will explain how software patents obstruct
>> software development. Software patents are patents that cover
>> software ideas. They restrict the development of software, so
>> that every design decision brings a risk of getting sued. Patents
>> in other fields restrict factories, but software patents restrict
>> every computer user. Economic research shows that they even
>> retard progress.
>>
>> For The GNU General Public License
>>
>> Richard Stallman wrote the first GNU General Public License in
>> 1989, and version 3 which was completed in 2007. He will discuss
>> the philosophy of the GNU GPL, the changes made in version 3,
>> and the reasons for those changes.
>>
>>
>> Brief bio:
>>
>> Dr. Richard Stallman launched the free software movement in 1983 and
>> started the development of the GNU operating system (see www.gnu.org)
>> in 1984. GNU is free software: everyone has the freedom to copy it
>> and redistribute it, with or without changes. The GNU/Linux system,
>> basically the GNU operating system with Linux added, is used on tens
>> of millions of computers today. Stallman has received the ACM Grace
>> Hopper Award, a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, the Electronic
>> Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Award, and the the Takeda Award for
>> Social/Economic Betterment, as well as several honorary doctorates.
>>
>> (A longer version is available if you want it.)
>>
>> DO NOT use text from my Wikipedia page as my bio. That text
>> represents another point of view, which means it doesn't support mine.
>>
>>
>> Photo:
>>
>> There is a black-and-white photograph of me as a
>> 5820K Encapsulated Postscript file (http://www.stallman.org/rms-bw.eps)
>> 3762K JPEG file (http://www.stallman.org/rms-bw.jpeg), and
>> 5815K TIFF file (http://www.stallman.org/rms-bw.tiff).
>>
>> Other photos can be found on stallman.org.
>>
>>
>>
>> Asking for the text:
>>
>> I don't write my speeches in advance--that would take too much time.
>> However, transcripts of my past speeches are available. If you can
>> make a transcript of my speech after I give it, that would be quite
>> useful.
>>
>>
>> Breaks:
>>
>> I absolutely refuse to have a break in the middle of my speech.
>> Once I start, I will go straight through.
>>
>>
>> Size of talk:
>>
>> I want to reach as many people as possible, so the idea of giving an
>> "intimate" talk to a small audience makes little sense in my case.
>> Please invite as many people as possible, and get a room that can hold
>> them.
>>
>>
>> Participation in a larger event:
>>
>> I am selective about the events I participate in. If you are inviting
>> me to speak at a larger event, please inform me now of the overall
>> nature of the event, so I can make an informed decision about whether
>> to participate.
>>
>> I usually decline to participate in "open source" or "Linux" events.
>> See http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html for why it is incorrect
>> to refer to the operating system as "Linux".
>>
>> "Open source" is the slogan of a position that was formulated as a
>> reaction against the free software movement. Those who support its
>> views have a right to promote them, but I disagree with them and I
>> want to promote the ideals of free software. See
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html for more
>> explanation of the difference. However, I will agree to participate
>> in events labeled "Free Software and Open Source", provided that my
>> speech is not the principal draw of the event.
>>
>>
>> Erecting a larger event:
>>
>> If you are thinking of erecting a larger event around my speech, which
>> includes inviting other speakers to speak before or after me, please
>> talk with me about the plans for that larger event _before_ inviting
>> other speakers. I want to make sure the event entirely supports the
>> goals and principles I work for, and I want to review the publicity
>> plans for the event.
>>
>>
>> Multiple events:
>>
>> If you would like me to give speeches in other cities, other
>> institutions, or other events which you are not organizing directly,
>> please put rms-assist at gnu.org in touch directly with their organizers.
>> We need to show them this info packet, and we need to discuss various
>> issues with them just as we discuss the issues of your event with you.
>> Communication through a middleman is asking for confusion, so please
>> don't ask us to do that.
>>
>>
>> Venues and planning:
>>
>> All my talks are aimed at the general computer-using public. They are
>> not technical. With good, broad publicity, many people will come --
>> usually hundreds.
>>
>> So don't aim small. Please plan each speech in a large room, then
>> plan the publicity to bring people in to fill it. Please do not
>> suggest scheduling a "small speech", because that makes no sense as a
>> goal. I would always rather reach as many people as I feasibly can.
>>
>> If the speech is at a university, please do the publicity all around
>> the university. Don't limit it to your department! We also want
>> people from off-campus to come, so please inform local IT businesses,
>> user groups, and other relevant organizations.
>>
>> We will also want to inform the region's daily newspapers so they can
>> put the speech in their calendar sections, and anything else we can
>> think of. Each additional interested person who comes means an increase
>> in the results achieved by the speech.
>>
>> Make sure you inform the public that my talk is not technical, so
>> anyone interested in ethics and use of computers might wish to come.
>>
>>
>> Facilities:
>>
>> A microphone is desirable if the room is large. No other facilities
>> are needed. I do not have slides or any sort of presentation
>> materials.
>>
>> A supply of tea with milk and sugar would be nice. If it is tea I
>> really like, I like it without milk and sugar. With milk and sugar,
>> any kind of tea is fine. I always bring tea bags with me, so if we
>> use my tea bags, I will certainly like that tea without milk or sugar.
>>
>> If I am quite sleepy, I would like two cans or small bottles of
>> non-diet Pepsi. (I dislike the taste of coke, and of all diet soda;
>> also, there is an international boycott of the Coca Cola company for
>> killing union organizers in Colombia and Guatemala; see
>> killercoke.org.) However, if I am not very sleepy, I won't want
>> Pepsi, because it is better if I don't drink so much sugar.
>>
>> Therefore, please don't buy Pepsi in advance. Please ask me shortly
>> before the speech whether I need Pepsi.
>>
>> If it is hard to find Pepsi in your city, it is useful to find in
>> advance a place where it is available -- but don't buy it in advance.
>>
>>
>> Languages:
>>
>> I can speak in English, French, and Spanish.
>>
>> If the audience won't be comfortable with a language I can speak, it
>> is important to have translation. However, consecutive translation
>> is not feasible, because it would more than double the length of the
>> speech. Please do not ask me to do that--I will refuse.
>>
>> I have found it works to do simultaneous translation without special
>> systems: I speak into the ear of the interpreter, and the interpreter
>> speaks to the microphone. This avoids the need for special
>> transmitters and headsets. However, it does require an interpreter
>> capable of doing simultaneous translation for more than an hour.
>> Do not propose doing this with a person whose translation skills
>> are not adequate for this.
>>
>> Another method is to set up a microphone and speaker system for the
>> interpreter in a far corner of the room, or a balcony. If the
>> speakers are set up suitably, people there can hear the interpreter
>> well, while people in the front of the room can hear me well.
>>
>> I can try to give a shortened free software speech (about 30 minutes
>> of material). With consecutive translation it will take an hour or
>> more. I will be forced to omit many important points in the usual
>> speech. I do not like to omit so much.
>>
>> If we have simultaneous translation, please make a recording
>> of the translation. It will be very useful, and it is easy to do.
>> Any sound recorder, next to the interpreter, will do it.
>>
>>
>> Restricting admission:
>>
>> If you plan to restrict admission to my speech, or charge a fee for
>> admission, you must discuss this with me in advance *at the earliest
>> possible date*. Do not delay this discussion! Do not believe I have
>> agreed to it unless you have heard it directly from me! If you have
>> restricted entry without my personal approval, I may refuse to do the
>> speech.
>>
>> I'm not categorically against limiting admission or fees, but those
>> practices work against the goal. Excluding people or discouraging
>> attendance mean the speech does less good, so I want to make sure that
>> the limitations are as small as possible. We must discuss the reasons
>> you want to do this, and if there is a good reason, we must look for
>> the method that does the least harm.
>>
>> One option that often works is to allow students and low-paid people
>> and political activists to enter gratis, even if professionals have to
>> pay.
>>
>> Another method, which works very well in some places, is to allow
>> people to attend gratis but charge for a certificate of attendance.
>> If the certificate is given by an educational institution, many will
>> find it useful for career advancement, while the others could enter
>> gratis. Whether this would be effective in your case is something you
>> would need to judge.
>>
>>
>> Registration:
>>
>> Some hosts have told attendees they need to register in order to
>> attend, and limited registrations to the number of seats in the room.
>> The result is that 20% of the seats remain empty, while interested
>> people stay away, thinking there would be no room for them. Please do
>> not do this.
>>
>> Therefore, if you wish to ask attendees to register, please make it
>> optional.
>>
>> If you want people to register via Internet, make sure the site does
>> not require people to run any nonfree Javascript code. The simplest
>> way to verify that is to access it using a variant of Firefox, with
>> LibreJS installed, and see that LibreJS gives no warnings. Eventbrite
>> fails this test, so it is not acceptable.
>>
>>
>> Sponsors:
>>
>> If corporations sponsor my talk, I am willing to include a small
>> tasteful note of thanks in announcements and brochures, but no more
>> than that. There should be no descriptions of their products or
>> services, and no banners with their names. If a would-be sponsor
>> insists on more than that, we have to do without that sponsor.
>>
>> If my speech is part of a pre-existing larger event that I have agreed
>> to participate in, I can't impose such conditions for the whole event.
>> However, if banners will be on display next to me while I am speaking,
>> that is rather obnoxious; if they advertise organizations that I
>> disapprove of on ethical grounds (which is not unlikely) I would want
>> to take them down, cover them up, or turn them off during my speech.
>>
>>
>> Directing publicity:
>>
>> My main speech topics are not technical. They are about political
>> issues regarding the use of software, and anyone concerned about
>> ethical issues with effects on our daily lives should be concerned
>> about them. Thus, when planning to publicize my talk, don't direct
>> the publicity primarily at computing organizations and computer
>> science departments. That would only reach a fraction of the people
>> who might be interested. Please also contact political science
>> departments, economics departments, philosophy departments, music
>> departments, and student groups interested in freedom and human rights
>> issues. Let's aim to make the speech reach as many interested people
>> as possible.
>>
>> The speech topics of software patents and GPLv3 are of interest
>> specifically to the IT field, so those you can publicize among IT
>> contacts.
>>
>>
>> Avoiding errors in publicity:
>>
>> The GNU Project constantly struggles against two widespread mistakes
>> that undermine the effectiveness of our work: calling our work "open
>> source", and calling the GNU operating system "Linux". Another very
>> bad mistake is using the term "intellectual property".
>>
>> The Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement are like two
>> political parties in our community. I founded the Free Software
>> Movement in 1984 along with the GNU Project; we call our work "free
>> software" because it is software that respects the users freedom. The
>> Open Source Movement was founded, in 1998, specifically to reject our
>> idealistic philosophy--they studiously avoid talking about freedom.
>> See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html for
>> more explanation of the difference between the two movements.
>>
>> So please make sure that all the publicity about the event (web site,
>> email announcements, conference programs, direct mail, signs, etc),
>> uses the term "free software", not "open source", when you refer to
>> work that includes mine. This includes to the title and descriptions
>> of my speech, of the session it is in, of the track it is part of, and
>> of the event itself.
>>
>> Of course, some of these names and descriptions may not refer to this
>> work at all; for example, if a track or the whole event covers a much
>> broader topic in which free software is just a small part, its name
>> may not refer to free software. That is normal and appropriate. The
>> point is not to ask you to refer to this work more often than you
>> normally would, but that you should describe it accurately whenever
>> you do refer to it.
>>
>> If other speakers in the same session, track, or event want their work
>> to be categorized as "open source", that is a legitimate request for
>> them to make. In that case, please give "free software" equal mention
>> with "open source".
>>
>> If you think it is useful to tell people how free software relates to
>> open source, you can say that "since 1998, another group has used the
>> term `open source' to describe a related activity." That will tell
>> people that my work has a relationship with "open source", which they
>> may have heard of, without implying it is right to describe my work as
>> "open source."
>>
>> The other widespread confusion is the idea of a "Linux operating
>> system". The system in question, the system that Debian and Red Hat
>> distribute, the system that tens of millions of people use, is
>> basically the GNU operating system, with Linux added as the kernel.
>> When people call the whole system "Linux", they deny us the credit for
>> our work, and this is not right. (See
>> http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html for more explanation.)
>>
>> So please call this combined operating system "GNU/Linux" in all
>> the publicity, in the titles and description of the session, track,
>> event, etc., if and when you have reason to refer to it.
>>
>> For similar reasons, please don't use a penguin as a symbol for my
>> work, or on the posters or notices or web pages for my speech. (This
>> includes the sponsors' logos, if any.) The penguin stands for
>> "Linux"; the symbol of GNU is a gnu. Therefore, the graphical image
>> to symbolize GNU or my work is a gnu. Please put a gnu in each work
>> (whether document, page, poster or other) that publicizes my speech
>> (if it can have images), and don't include any penguin without a gnu
>> right next to it.
>>
>> If you have handled these issues well, nobody who looks at your
>> material will get the impression that I work on "open source", or that
>> I support "open source", or that my work is "part of Linux", or that I
>> participated in the "development of Linux", or that GNU is the name of
>> "a collection of tools".
>>
>> As for the term "intellectual property", that spreads confusion and
>> hostile bias. See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html
>> for explanation. I hope you will decide to reject that expression, as
>> I do; but in any case, don't use it in connection with my speech.
>>
>> Please do not mention non-free GNU/Linux distros (for instance,
>> Ubuntu) in the publicity for the event.
>>
>> If you have doubts about a poster or announcement, please ask my
>> assistant to check it for you, not me. Send it to rms-assist at gnu.org.
>>
>>
>> Selling Free Software, Free Society:
>>
>> Please sell copies of my book of essays, Free Software, Free Society,
>> if you can. In the US, Canada, Spain, Italy and Japan, you can obtain
>> published copies of this book in English, Spanish, Italian, and
>> Japanese. You don't need to put up any money to do this. Please talk
>> with rms-assist at gnu.org about how to do it. In the US and Canada, the
>> FSF will ship you these books.
>>
>> Outside those four countries, please print copies of the book to sell
>> at the event, if you can. The English version is available in
>> http://shop.fsf.org/product/free-software-free-society-2/ (278 pages).
>> There is also my semiautobiography, Free As In Freedom, in
>> http://shop.fsf.org/product/free-as-in-freedom-2/ (245 pages).
>>
>> The Spanish version of Free Software, Free Society (318 pages) is in
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/fsfs/free_software.es.pdf.
>>
>> If you use ordinary copying, and avoid fancy covers and bindings, we
>> can sell them for two or three times the cost of copying, and they
>> will still be cheap enough that many people will buy them. From the
>> proceeds you will first retain the cost of printing; we can divide the
>> gains between your organization and the FSF.
>>
>> If you see any obstacle, whatever it is, don't just give up. Talk
>> with rms-assist at gnu.org about it! Most of the problems that might
>> seem difficult to you, we are already accustomed to solving. Give us
>> a chance to overcome the obstacle!
>>
>>
>> At the speech:
>>
>> Please put out a pad of paper for people to write down their names and
>> email addresses if they want to be on the FSF's mailing list.
>>
>>
>> Changes of plans:
>>
>> Don't assume that I can still come if you change the date, or even the
>> hour. My schedule is tight, and any change may make the plan
>> impossible. Please consult with me before making any change, and I
>> will see what I can do.
>>
>> My assistant cannot approve such changes; you must ask me directly,
>> and get approval from me directly. I will certainly be flexible if
>> there is no obstacle.
>>
>>
>> Scheduling other meetings:
>>
>> I have agreed to give a speech for you, and if the press wants to talk
>> with me, I will do that for the sake of the cause. However, if you
>> would like me to give additional speeches or go to additional
>> meetings, please ask me first. Please ask me about *each* activity
>> you would like me to perform.
>>
>> Many people assume that because I am traveling, I am having a
>> vacation--that I have no other work to do, so I can spend the whole
>> day speaking or meeting with people. Some hosts even feel that they
>> ought to try to fill up my time as a matter of good hospitality.
>> Alas, it's not that way for me.
>>
>> The fact is, I have no vacations. (Don't feel sorry for me; idleness
>> is not something I wish for.) I have to spend 6 to 8 hours *every
>> day* doing my usual work, which is responding to email about the GNU
>> Project and the Free Software Movement. Work comes in every day for
>> me, and if I skip it one day, I have to catch up another day. During
>> the week I usually fall behind; on weekends I try to catch up.
>>
>> Traveling takes up time, so I will be extra busy during my visit. And
>> it might be nice if I could do at least an hour or two of sightseeing
>> during the visit. So please ask me *in advance* about *each*
>> additional speech, meeting, or other activity that would take time. I
>> don't mind being asked, and I may say yes, but I also may say no.
>>
>> Remember that an additional speech, even if it is just a one-hour
>> speech, probably takes up two hours counting questions, autographs,
>> etc. And then there is the travel time.
>>
>>
>> Interviews:
>>
>> I am glad to give interviews to the press about the GNU system, but
>> before I do, I want to be sure they will not repeat the two common
>> mistakes (calling the whole system "Linux" and associating GNU or me
>> with "open source"). Please explain this, and ask the journalist if
>> he will agree to call the system "GNU/Linux" in the article, and to
>> make it clear that our work is "free software" not "open source".
>> Recommend reading http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html and
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html for
>> explanations of these issues. If the journalist agrees, then I agree
>> to an interview. Please have this discussion by email, and save the
>> messages in both directions.
>>
>> Sometimes a journalist gives a response which sounds vaguely
>> affirmative or sympathetic but its words do not really say "yes".
>> Examples are "I will do this as much as I can" and "I understand the
>> distinction." Such an answer is actually just "maybe", so when you
>> receive one, please ask for clarification. If he says that the editor
>> has the final decision, please respond with "Would you please consult
>> the editor now, and tell us a firm decision?"
>>
>> It is also a good idea for the journalist to read
>> http://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html as well as
>> http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html
>> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/compromise.html
>> http://stallman.org/articles/internet-sharing-license.en.html
>> http://stallman.org/articles/ebooks.pdf before the interview. Those
>> articles provide important background. This is especially important
>> for anyone who cannot come to my speech first.
>>
>>
>> Recorded interviews for broadcast:
>>
>> It is ok to do these either before or after my speech, and they
>> usually need to be done one at a time, so I am willing to do them that
>> way.
>>
>>
>> Interviews not for broadcast:
>>
>> Please do not propose to hold these interviews before the conference.
>> That order wastes my time. So please propose to hold them AFTER the
>> conference.
>>
>> Also please ask journalists to *see my speech* before the interview.
>> My speeches are not technical; they focus on precisely the sort of
>> philosophical questions that a journalist would probably want to
>> cover. If the journalist has not attended my speech, he will probably
>> start by asking me to answer the same questions that I answer in the
>> speech. That is a waste of time for me.
>>
>> If you schedule a press conference or group interview, please *plan
>> the time of my speech to allow the interview after it*. It may be a
>> good idea to find out from journalists what times are good for them,
>> then schedule the conference, then schedule the speech before it.
>> This way, they will all be able to get the full picture.
>>
>> It is also ok to have the interviews the day after the speech.
>> That is another way to have them after the speech rather than before.
>>
>> If the journalists simply cannot do the interview after the speech,
>> then I will do it before the speech if possible. But please insist
>> that they watch or listen to a recording on audio-video.gnu.org of
>> another speech.
>>
>> Please ask each journalist to agree to make a recording of the
>> interview. Written notes tend to simplify, and often lead to
>> incorrect quotes.
>>
>> I am willing to meet with any number of journalists, but if there are
>> many, I can't meet all of them individually (it would take too much
>> time). So what I will do is give private interviews to 2 or maybe 3
>> of them, whichever ones you think are most important, and see the rest
>> of them as a group (i.e. in a press conference).
>>
>> You and your associates can judge better than I do which journalists
>> and which publications I should focus on. So I would like you to
>> advise me about that. Please try to judge both the importance of the
>> publication and the merits (intelligence, attention to accuracy,
>> openness of mind, and absence of bias) of the journalist, if you can.
>>
>>
>> Recording my speech:
>>
>> Please do record the speech if you can. We are always looking for
>> good recordings of my speeches, both audio and video, to put on line.
>>
>> The GNU Project keeps an on-line audio and video collection of speech
>> recordings in audio-video.gnu.org. If you are making an audio or
>> video recording of my speech, please write to audio-video at gnu.org in
>> advance for advice on how to make a recording that is good for further
>> use, and subsequently to arrange to install your recording on our
>> site.
>>
>> When you are making a recording, please *make sure* to tell me when
>> the tape needs to be changed. I will pause. Please help me help you
>> make the recording complete.
>>
>>
>> Recording formats:
>>
>> Please make sure that your recording is not compressed with a
>> substantially lossy codec (unless it is an Ogg codec). If we have to
>> transcode the file, starting from a lower-quality base will reduce the
>> quality of the result.
>>
>> It is best to provide audio recordings in the original recorded sample
>> rate, up to 44100Hz. Monophonic is generally adequate for speech
>> recordings and saves a lot of space over stereo.
>>
>> For video recordings, please save the master recording, which will
>> probably be in miniDV format.
>>
>> Please don't transcode recordings from one format to another before
>> sending to us, unless they have such a high bit rate that files are
>> impractically large. If you do need to encode or transcode, please
>> convert audio to 64Kbps mono Ogg Vorbis (or you could try Ogg Speex),
>> and convert video to Matroska VP8 or to Ogg Theora with video quality
>> set to 5 or more. If you need advice for how to do this, please ask
>> audio-video at gnu.org.
>>
>>
>> Putting my speech on the net:
>>
>> If you would like to put my speech on the Internet, or distribute it
>> in digital form, I insist on using the formats of the free software
>> community: Ogg Vorbis or Ogg Speex format for audio, and Matroska VP8
>> (Webm) or Ogg Theora for video. Please do not distribute my speech in
>> any other format.
>>
>> Please do not ever broadcast or publish my speeches in formats that
>> are not good for free software. I will not speak to make a recording
>> or broadcast that requires non-free software to be heard or viewed.
>> Don't use RealPlayer format, or Quicktime, or Windows Media Player
>> format, or a patented format such as MPEG2, MPEG4, or MP3.
>>
>> This requirement is very important, because if it is not followed,
>> viewing my speech will require people to do the exact opposite of what
>> I ask them to do. The medium's message would contradict my message.
>>
>> Because this is so important, please make sure everyone who might be
>> involved in broadcasting the event, or who might be directly or
>> indirectly involved in planning such a broadcast, knows this
>> requirement in advance of the event.
>>
>> You can get advice and help in distributing Ogg files from Mallory
>> Knodel <mallory at mayfirst.org>.
>>
>> Please also make sure that users can access the file on the site without
>> running any Javascript code.
>>
>>
>> Streaming the speech:
>>
>> Streaming is a kind of Internet distribution, so everything in the
>> previous section applies. In particular, you must use only Ogg format
>> or Matroska VP8 (Webm).
>>
>> If you want to stream my speech but you have not done streaming in Ogg
>> or VP8 before, don't leave the matter till the last minute. By then,
>> it will be too late. Please try a test session two weeks before the
>> speech. That way, if you encounter any problem, there will be time to
>> resolve it before the speech.
>>
>> If you have previously done streaming using some streaming service and
>> you can't immediately name the format it uses, chances are it is
>> unacceptable and I won't let you use it for my speech. So please
>> check, two weeks in advance, what format it uses. If you find it uses
>> some bad format, you will have time to arrange for ethical streaming.
>>
>> You can get advice and help in Ogg streaming from Mallory Knodel
>> <mallory at mayfirst.org>. Please ask two weeks before the event; they
>> can do it faster, but why make their work hectic unnecessarily? See
>> https://support.mayfirst.org/wiki/live-video-streaming-support for
>> more info.
>>
>> I do not compromise on this issue. Be warned that if you are
>> streaming in a format that works against free software, I will demand
>> you turn off the streaming while I speak.
>>
>>
>> Remote speeches by video connection:
>>
>> I can do a speech remotely through a videoconferencing system. This
>> can be done by Internet or by ISDN. For good quality by Internet, we
>> need a maximum of 100msec response time for ping between your site and
>> where I am, and 100kbytes/sec transfer rate.
>>
>> Using two or three ISDN lines gives good quality but the calls cost
>> money. If I am at home, there is a facility I can use at no charge;
>> you would have to pay for the ISDN calls and for the facilities at
>> your end. If I am somewhere else (which is true more than half the
>> time), then we will need to find a videoconferencing facility for me
>> to use; most likely you will need to pay for that.
>>
>>
>> Warning about giveways:
>>
>> You may find companies offering you CD-ROMs, books, fliers or
>> publicity materials to give away or sell at my speech. Please check
>> them before you accept them, to make sure that they don't promote the
>> very thing that we are working to replace.
>>
>> For instance, the CDs may contain non-free software. Most distros of
>> GNU/Linux contain or suggest non-free software in addition to the free
>> software. (And most of them call the system "Linux".) Please check
>> with me before you allow a CD of GNU/Linux to be distributed at the
>> event.
>>
>> Books about use of the GNU/Linux system and about GNU programs are
>> fine if they themselves are also free. But many of them are non-free
>> (see http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html). To see if a book
>> is free, check the license on the back of the title page. If it uses
>> the GNU Free Documentation License, or the Open Publication License
>> version 1 without options A and B, then it is free. If it isn't one
>> of those, please show me the license and I will tell you if it is a
>> free license.
>>
>> If companies send you publicity materials, please check with me before
>> giving them out at my speech.
>>
>>
>> Flights:
>>
>> The FSF does not pay for my travel, and I can't afford to. I will
>> need you to arrange to cover the cost of my traveling to and from your
>> city (unless I've told you someone else will do it).
>>
>> I am traveling most of the time, and most of my trips include several
>> stops. Chances are your city is neither the first nor the last stop
>> in the trip. Please don't make assumptions about the itinerary;
>> instead, please ask me for whatever information you need.
>>
>> Many organizations ask to buy the tickets and send them to me. I do
>> not object to that method in principle, but it typically assumes the
>> trip goes to just one city. That approach is hard to use for a
>> multi-destination trip, unless you want to pay for the whole trip.
>> (Sometimes it will work for you to buy tickets for part of the trip,
>> but that depends what the rest of the trip looks like.) So normally I
>> buy the tickets myself and get reimbursed by the various places I am
>> visiting. For a multi-destination trip, we will need to agree on what
>> parts of the travel expenses you should cover.
>>
>> When you buy me a ticket, here's an issue to pay attention to. Some
>> airlines charge a fee for selecting a seat; if they do, please secure
>> me a window seat (or aisle, second best) at the time of purchase. If
>> I will have to go through passport control after the flight, please
>> try to get me a seat closer to the front of the plane. If I buy the
>> ticket or if the airline does not charge for this, my assistant will
>> take care of the seat.
>>
>> Some organizations feel that hospitality calls for providing me with a
>> business class ticket. That is indeed more comfortable, but an
>> economy class seat is good enough. Meanwhile, speaking is my main
>> source of income, and the extra price of a business class ticket would
>> be a lot more useful for me if I can spend it on something else. So
>> if you were thinking of spending extra for business class, how about
>> if you pay the extra to me as a speaker's fee instead?
>>
>> We should plan for me to arrive (at the site itself, not just at the
>> airport) at least 24 hours before the speech; that way, even if the
>> flight is cancelled, there is a good chance I can still arrive in time
>> for the speech by taking the same flight the next day.
>>
>> I cannot do Internet check-in; it is impossible. I don't mind if you
>> do it for me, but I am equally happy to check in at the airport.
>>
>>
>> Lost tickets:
>>
>> If you are not paying me a speaking fee, but you are paying for the
>> airline tickets, I must insist that you cover the costs if I have to
>> replace a lost ticket, the fee for changing the ticket if I miss a
>> flight, or any other surprise expenses associated with my travel to
>> and from your location.
>>
>> This might seem unfair--if a ticket is lost, it could be my fault.
>> But my income is not large, and I cannot afford to assume this risk
>> myself if the event offers me no income. The frustration I feel when
>> I suffer such a loss is excruciating. It is better for me to decline
>> to travel to a certain place than to take such a risk.
>>
>> With electronic tickets, there is no problem of lost tickets,
>> but other problems can still occur.
>>
>> Alternatively, you can pay me a speaker's fee, which I would
>> appreciate. Then I can assume this risk myself.
>>
>>
>> Bus and train tickets:
>>
>> If you buy bus or train tickets for me, do not give my name! Big
>> Brother has no right to know where I travel, or where you travel, or
>> where anyone travels. If they arbitrarily demand a name, give a name
>> that does not belong to any person you know of. If they will check my
>> ID before I board the bus or train, then let's look for another way
>> for me to travel. (In the US I never use long-distance trains because
>> of their ID policy.)
>>
>> Don't give them your name either: please pay for the ticket in cash.
>>
>>
>> Other expenses:
>>
>> I expect you to cover expenses such as visa fees, fees for mailing my
>> passport back and forth, taxis to and from the airport, and so on.
>>
>>
>> Accommodations:
>>
>> I am willing to stay in a hotel if there is no other way.
>> Please book the hotel for me and arrange to pay the hotel directly.
>>
>> But please DON'T make a hotel reservation until we have fully explored
>> other options. If there is anyone who wants to offer a spare couch, I
>> would much rather stay there than in a hotel (provided I have a door I
>> can close, in order to have some privacy). Staying with someone is
>> more fun for me than a hotel, and it would also save you money.
>>
>> Many countries have a law that hotels must report all guests to the
>> police. In most cases, this orwellian policy applies not only to
>> foreigners like me, but to citizens as well! The citizens should be
>> outraged by this, but often they are not.
>>
>> Please call the hotel and ask whether they will demand to see my
>> passport, and whether they report all their guests to the police. If
>> it has this policy, please join me in striking a blow against Big
>> Brother, by looking for a place I can stay in that doesn't demand to
>> see my passport, or report my visit to anyone. If the police want
>> information about free software, they are welcome to come to my
>> speech.
>>
>> My distaste for a hotel is less if it does not put my name in a data
>> base, but staying in a house with people is normally more enjoyable
>> than staying alone. Even in the absence of nasty surveillance, a
>> hotel is not as nice. In the house I would find books I could browse
>> through, music recordings to listen to, a way to make tea, and
>> company.
>>
>> If you have found a person for me to stay with, please forward this
>> section and the three following sections to that person.
>>
>>
>> Temperature:
>>
>> Above 72 fahrenheit (22 centigrade) I find sleeping quite difficult.
>> (If the air is dry, I can stand 23 degrees.) A little above that
>> temperature, a strong electric fan blowing on me enables me to sleep.
>> More than 3 degrees above that temperature, I need air conditioning to
>> sleep.
>>
>> If there is a substantial chance of indoor temperatures too hot for
>> me, please arrange _in advance_ for me to have what I need.
>>
>> If you are planning for me to stay in a hotel, DO NOT take for granted
>> that the hotel has air conditioning--or that it will be working when I
>> arrive. Some hotels shut off their air conditioning systems for part
>> of the year. They often think it is unnecessary in seasons when the
>> temperature is usually in the mid 20s--and they follow their schedule
>> like stupid robots even if there is a heat wave.
>>
>> So you must explicitly ask them: "Do you have air conditioning? Will
>> it be functioning for the dates XXX-YYY?"
>>
>> In some hotels with central air conditioning, it simply does not work
>> very well: it can make a room less hot, but can't make it cool.
>> Before using a hotel that has central air conditioning, find out what
>> temperature it can actually lower a room to, during the relevant
>> dates.
>>
>> Or look for a hotel that has a real cooling unit in the room, not a
>> central system. Those tend to work well enough, if they are not
>> broken.
>>
>>
>> Pets:
>>
>> I like cats if they are friendly, but they are not good for me; I am
>> somewhat allergic to them. This allergy makes my face itch and my
>> eyes water. So the bed, and the room I will usually be staying in,
>> need to be clean of cat hair. However, it is no problem if there is a
>> cat elsewhere in the house--I might even enjoy it if the cat is
>> friendly.
>>
>> Dogs that bark angrily and/or jump up on me frighten me, unless they
>> are small and cannot reach much above my knees. But if they only bark
>> or jump when we enter the house, I can cope, as long as you hold the
>> dog away from me at that time. Aside from that issue, I'm ok with
>> dogs.
>>
>> If you can find a host for me that has a friendly parrot, I will be
>> very very glad. If you can find someone who has a friendly parrot I
>> can visit with, that will be nice too.
>>
>> DON'T buy a parrot figuring that it will be a fun surprise for me. To
>> acquire a parrot is a major decision: it is likely to outlive you. If
>> you don't know how to treat the parrot, it could be emotionally
>> scarred and spend many decades feeling frightened and unhappy. If you
>> buy a captured wild parrot, you will promote a cruel and devastating
>> practice, and the parrot will be emotionally scarred before you get it.
>> Meeting that sad animal is not an agreeable surprise.
>>
>>
>> Hospitality:
>>
>> Please pass this section to everyone who will be helping me directly
>> in any fashion during the visit.
>>
>> It is nice of you to want to be kind to me, but please don't offer
>> help all the time. In general I am used to managing life on my own;
>> when I need help, I am not shy about asking. So there is no need to
>> offer to help me. Moreover, being constantly offered help is actually
>> quite distracting and tiresome.
>>
>> So please, unless I am in grave immediate danger, please don't offer
>> help. The nicest thing you can do is help when I ask, and otherwise
>> not worry about how I am doing. Meanwhile, you can also ask me for
>> help when you need it.
>>
>> One situation where I do not need help, let alone supervision, is in
>> crossing streets. I grew up in the middle of the world's biggest
>> city, full of cars, and I have crossed streets without assistance even
>> in the chaotic traffic of Bangalore and Delhi. Please just leave me
>> alone when I cross streets.
>>
>> In some places, my hosts act as if my every wish were their command.
>> By catering to my every whim, in effect they make me a tyrant over
>> them, which is not a role I like. I start to worry that I might
>> subject them to great burdens without even realizing. I start being
>> afraid to express my appreciation of anything, because they would get
>> it and give it to me at any cost. If it is night, and the stars are
>> beautiful, I hesitate to say so, lest my hosts feel obligated to try
>> to get one for me.
>>
>> When I'm trying to decide what to do, often I mention things that
>> MIGHT be nice to do--depending on more details, if it fits the
>> schedule, if there isn't a better alternative, etc. Some hosts take
>> such a tentative suggestion as an order, and try moving heaven and
>> earth to make it happen. This excessive rigidity is not only quite
>> burdensome for other people, it can even fail in its goal of pleasing
>> me. If there is a better alternative, I'd rather be flexible and
>> choose it instead--so please tell me. If my tentative suggestion
>> imposes a lot of trouble on others, I want to drop it--so please tell
>> me.
>>
>> When you need to tell me about a problem in a plan, please do not
>> start with a long apology. That is unbearably boring, and unnecessary
>> -- conveying useful information is helpful and good, and why apologize
>> for that? So please be practical and go straight to the point.
>>
>> If I am typing on my computer and it is time to do something else,
>> please tell me. Don't wait quietly for me to "finish working",
>> because you might wait forever. I have to squeeze in answering mail
>> at every possible opportunity, which includes whenever I have to wait.
>> I wait by working. If instead of telling me there is no more need for
>> me to wait, you wait for me to stop waiting for you, we will both wait
>> forever -- or until I figure out what's happening.
>>
>>
>> Email:
>>
>> It is very important for me to be able to transfer email between my
>> laptop and the net, so I can do my ordinary work. While traveling, I
>> often need to do the work and the transfer late at night, or in the
>> morning before a departure. So please set up a way I can connect to
>> the net from the place I am staying.
>>
>> I do NOT use browsers, I use the SSH protocol. If the network
>> requires a proxy for SSH, I probably can't use it at all.
>>
>> If a hotel says "We have internet access for customers", that is so
>> vague that it cannot be relied on. So please find out exactly what
>> they have and exactly what it will do. If they have an ethernet, do
>> they have a firewall? Does it permit SSH connections? What
>> parameters does the user need to specify in order to talk with it?
>>
>> Please check those things directly, or ask the people who actually run
>> the network. If you talk with someone who doesn't understand what
>> "SSH connection" means, or if he doesn't understand the difference
>> between "Internet" and "web browsing", that person is not competent to
>> give reliable information. Don't rely on information from such a
>> person--talk to someone who knows!
>>
>> For reasons of principle, I am unwilling to identify myself in order
>> to connect to the Internet. For instance, if a hotel gives a user
>> name and password to each room, I won't use that system, since it
>> would identify me. I would need some other way to connect.
>>
>> Likewise, on principle, I do not run Javascript code unless I can
>> check it first and see it is trivial (or else, see that it carries a
>> free license). If a wireless network requires Javascript, I can't
>> check it first, so I cannot use such a network. Please make sure in
>> advance that the network functions without Javascript!
>>
>> However, I don't mind entering an encryption key for the wireness
>> network. The encryption key is the same for all users of that
>> network, so it does not identify a specific user.
>>
>> My machine inexplicably fails to connect to certain wireless networks.
>> If the plan is that I use a wireless network, we need a backup plan in
>> case that fails. If the wireless hub allows connecting with an
>> Ethernet cable, that's a good backup plan.
>>
>> A modem connection is fine if it works, so please verify in advance
>> that the telephone line you expect me to use has a modular jack and
>> that it works to call the ISP from that line. Hotels in Europe and
>> Asia often have peculiar phone systems; the staff may tell you it is
>> possible to call an ISP from the hotel *but they may be wrong*. For
>> instance, their phone switchboard may not recognize the tones produced
>> by modems. The only way to tell for certain is to go to the hotel,
>> try phoning with a computer from a guest room, and see if it actually
>> works. Until you have tested it, don't believe it!
>>
>> My ISP phone numbers are old; I don't know if they will still work.
>> If you propose I use a modem, please find a number I can call. It is
>> best if you lend me a permanent account that someone else uses, one
>> that will continue working afterward, so that I can use it again if I
>> come back or use it from other places in the region. Hotel phone
>> rates may be high; I expect you to cover them. However, I normally
>> connect to the net only for around ten minutes at a time, twice a day,
>> so the total won't be too big.
>>
>> If I need to use a dialup connection, please cover the costs of the
>> telephone calls I will need to transfer my email -- especially in a
>> hotel. Some hotels charge a lot of money for this.
>>
>> Wireless modems mostly do not work with my machine, so do not plan on
>> my using one. I won't refuse to use them if you have an expert who
>> can make it work, but success is rare. If it involves loading a
>> nonfree driver, I will refuse.
>>
>>
>> Paying me a reimbursement or a fee:
>>
>> Please pay my reimbursement or fee to me personally; do not pay it to
>> the FSF. The FSF and I have completely separate finances, and the FSF
>> never pays for my travel. The FSF welcomes donations, but please make
>> sure that money intended for me is not sent to them, because moving it
>> afterward would mean accounting headaches as well as extra work.
>>
>> My assistant is not involved with my finances, so she cannot help you
>> with that issue. Please send questions about payments to me directly.
>>
>> If you pay me by check, and you're not in the US, make sure to get a
>> check that lists a corresponding US bank--otherwise it will cost me a
>> fee to deposit the check. Please mail the check _in US dollars_ to:
>>
>> Richard Stallman
>> 77 Mass Ave rm 32-381
>> Cambridge MA 02139
>> Phone number: +1-617-253-8830
>>
>> Do not mail it to the FSF!
>>
>> A wire transfer is also a good method of payment. I will send you the
>> coordinates; ask if you need them. The bank you use will charge a
>> fee, and my bank charges me $10 for each incoming transfer; please add
>> those fees to the amount, rather than taking them out of what I
>> receive.
>>
>> If you are outside the US, please convert your currency to dollars in
>> your bank, then use one of the above methods to pay me the dollars.
>> My bank gives very bad exchange rates; yours is surely better.
>>
>> Cash is also fine.
>>
>> If you want an invoice, I will be glad to give you one. Let's work
>> out what it should say by email before I arrive. Please also check
>> before the visit whether you need any other forms, such as tax forms.
>> I would like to be able to take care of any necessary forms while I am
>> there, rather than wait till afterward.
>>
>>
>> Dinners:
>>
>> If you are thinking of setting up a lunch or dinner for me with more
>> than 4 people total, please consider that as a meeting, and discuss it
>> with me in advance. Such meals draw on my strength, just like
>> speeches and interviews. They are not relaxation, they are work.
>>
>> I expect to do work during my visit, but there is a limit on the
>> amount of work I can handle each day. So please ask me in advance
>> about any large planned meal, and expect me to say no if I have a lot
>> of other work already. If we are having a meal that I did not agree
>> to as a large meal, and other people ask if they can join, please tell
>> them no. In both cases, please tell them that I need a chance to
>> relax after the other work I will have done.
>>
>> Please don't be surprised if I pull out my computer at dinner and
>> begin handling some of my email. I have difficulty hearing when there
>> is noise; at dinner, when people are speaking to each other, I usually
>> cannot hear their words. Rather than feel bored, or impose on
>> everyone by asking them to speak slowly at me, I do some work.
>>
>> Please don't try to pressure me to "relax" instead, and fall behind on
>> my work. Surely you do not really want me to have to work double the
>> next day to catch up (assuming I even COULD catch up). Please do not
>> interfere as I do what I need to do.
>>
>>
>> Food:
>>
>> I do not generally eat breakfast. Please do not trouble me with
>> questions about what I want for breakfast -- it is a waste of time for
>> you and for me.
>>
>> I enjoy delicious food, and I like most kinds of cooking if they are
>> done well (the exception being that I cannot eat anything very spicy).
>> If I am ordering from the menu in a restaurant which has a variety,
>> there's no need for you to worry about the question of what I like; I
>> will take care of it.
>>
>> But if you want to cook for me, or invite me to a restaurant that
>> specializes in just one thing, or invite me to dinner with a preset
>> menu, you need to know what I dislike:
>>
>> avocado
>> eggplant, usually (there are occasional exceptions)
>> hot pepper
>> olives
>> liver (even in trace quantities)
>> stomach and intestine; other organ meats
>> cooked tuna
>> oysters
>> egg yolk, if the taste is noticeable, except when boiled completely
>> hard
>> many strong cheeses, especially those with green fungus
>> desserts that contain fruit or liqueur flavors
>> sour fruits, such as grapefruit and many oranges
>> beer
>> coffee (though weak coffee flavor can be good in desserts)
>> the taste of alcohol (so I don't drink anything stronger than wine)
>>
>> Don't ever try to decide what food I should eat without asking me.
>> Never assume that I will surely like a certain dish, merely because
>> most people do. Instead, ask me in advance!
>>
>> As long as there are many alternatives to choose from, there will be
>> no problem.
>>
>>
>> Wine:
>>
>> Wine is not very important to me--not like food. I like some wines,
>> depending on the taste, and dislike others, but I don't remember the
>> names of wines I have liked, so it is useless to ask me.
>>
>> Therefore, if you're having dinner with me, please don't ask me what
>> to do about wine. I can't decide intelligently, and it matters more
>> to others than to me. Have wine or don't, as you prefer; choose it to
>> please yourself and the others, not for me.
>>
>> If you get a bottle of wine, I will taste it, and if I like the taste,
>> I will drink a little, perhaps a glass.
>>
>>
>> Restaurants:
>>
>> So I like to go to restaurants that are good at whatever kind of food
>> they do. I don't arrive with specific preferences for a kind of food
>> to eat--rather, I want to have whatever is good there: perhaps the
>> local traditional cuisine, or the food of an immigrant ethnic group
>> which is present in large numbers, or something unusual and original.
>>
>> So please don't ask me "Where do you want to eat?" or "What kind of
>> restaurant do you want to go to?" I can't make an intelligent
>> decision without knowing the facts, and unless I am already familiar
>> with the city we're in, I can only get those facts from you.
>>
>> The only general thing I can tell you is that what I like or dislike
>> about a meal is the sensation of eating the food. Other things, such
>> as the decor of a restaurant, or the view from its windows, are
>> secondary. Let's choose the restaurant based on its food.
>>
>> A good approach is to ask around *in advance* among your acquaintances
>> to find people who like good food and are familiar with the area's
>> restaurants. They will be able to give good recommendations.
>>
>>
>> Sightseeing:
>>
>> If I am visiting an interesting city or region, I will probably want
>> to do a few hours of sightseeing in between the work. But don't try
>> to plan sightseeing for me without asking me first--I can only spare a
>> limited time for it, so I am selective about where to go. Please
>> don't assume I want to see something just because it is customary to
>> take visitors there. That place may be of no interest with me.
>> Instead, please tell me about possible places to visit--then I can say
>> what I would like.
>>
>> I enjoy natural beauty such as mountains and rocky coasts, ancient
>> buildings, impressive and unusual modern buildings, and trains. I
>> like caves, and if there is a chance to go caving I would enjoy that.
>> (I am just a novice as a caver.) I often find museums interesting,
>> but it depends on the subject.
>>
>> I tend to like music that has a feeling of dance in it, but I
>> sometimes like other kinds too. However, I usually dislike the
>> various genres that are popular in the US, such as rock, country, rap,
>> reggae, techno, and composed American "folk". Please tell me what
>> unusual music and dance forms are present; I can tell you if I am
>> interested. If there is a chance to see folk dancing, I would
>> probably enjoy that.
>>
>> If there is something else interesting and unique, please tell me
>> about it. Maybe I will be interested.
>>
>>
>> More arrangements:
>>
>> Once we have a precise date for the speech, my assistant will contact
>> you with questions about the arrangements for the trip. Please
>> respond as soon as possible with the information she asks for.
>>
>> Please do not ever mail me a file larger than 100k without asking me
>> first. I almost certainly do not want to receive it in that form. If
>> you would like feedback or approval for proposed publicity, please
>> talk with rms-assist about it, not with me. If you want to give me
>> data about airplane tickets, please send that info as plain ASCII
>> text, not as images or PDFs. Thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> ProgramaFisl at listas.softwarelivre.org
>> http://listas.softwarelivre.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/programafisl
>
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Bruno.
______________________________________________________________________
Bruno Peres Ferreira de Souza Brazil's JavaMan
http://www.javaman.com.br bruno at javaman.com.br
if I fail, if I succeed, at least I live as I believe
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