[Programafisl] Fwd: My visit to FISL

[machado at softwarelivre.org]

LGTM

Machado



Citando Rodrigo Troian <rtroian at softwarelivre.org>:

> Pessoal,
>
> Agora o Stallman quer dar apenas uma palestra no dia 5, então parece  
> que vai ser a:
>
> Copyright vs Community in the Age of Computer Networks;
>
> que foi a mais votada na thread.
>
> vou confirmar com ele e se tivermos uma segunda voltamos a discussão!
>
> Abs,
> Troian
>
>
>
> On 04/29/2013 02:49 PM, Bruno F. Souza wrote:
>> 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.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> ProgramaFisl mailing list
>>>> ProgramaFisl at listas.softwarelivre.org
>>>> http://listas.softwarelivre.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/programafisl
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ProgramaFisl mailing list
>>> ProgramaFisl at listas.softwarelivre.org
>>> http://listas.softwarelivre.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/programafisl
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ProgramaFisl mailing list
>> ProgramaFisl at listas.softwarelivre.org
>> http://listas.softwarelivre.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/programafisl
>
> -- 
> Rodrigo Troian - ASL
> +55 51 32280199 +55 51 93882530
> ---------------------------
> 14º Fórum Internacional Software Livre
> de 3 a 6 de julho em Porto Alegre, RS.
> http://www.fisl.org.br
>
> _______________________________________________
> ProgramaFisl mailing list
> ProgramaFisl at listas.softwarelivre.org
> http://listas.softwarelivre.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/programafisl
>



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