lobbying Free Software in competitions run by public institutions

[Federico Bruni]

Hi all,

I recently came across this discussion about lobbying free software:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2011-08/msg00299.html

Here's a brief summary of the case: a public portuguese institution[1]
has organized a composition competition[2] where the music submitted
must be typeset either by Finale or Sibelius (both proprietary
software).
It seems that there's no particular reason behind this requirement. The
organizers haven't explained why other programs are not allowed.
Probably, they will publish the score of the winner and they want to be
sure that the source is made by the software used by the big publishing
companies. It's just a guess, as the source file is not required by the
competition rules.

The developer who started the discussion said later on:
"I think that it is worth it for a community of users of any free
software (where I mean free in every sense of the term) to be active in
contacting organizations whose rules are hostile to the free usage of
software. It helps organizations learn about free software (both the
software itself and the mentality of freedom behind the software),
thereby encouraging these organizations to adopt policies that are
conducive to this type of free-ness / free-dom."[3]

I think that a user-based action is a good thing, but I'm afraid that
without some kind of guidance this kind of action won't be very
effective.
So I wonder if FSFE could be interested in organizing a campaign similar
to the PDFreaders campaign (which I really appreciated).
What I'm thinking of is a campaign which is neither too narrow nor too
wide in its scope. For example, lobbying in all the competitions:

a) run by public institutions
b) where free software is discriminated

What do you think? Too much hassle?
What did you learn from the PDFreaders campaign?

Cheers,
Federico

[1] http://mmp.cm-cascais.pt/museumusica/mmp/museu/
[2]
http://mmp.cm-cascais.pt/NR/rdonlyres/5BBEE22D-3C21-4996-AEFE-A2C0B2FAF9C9/12487/regulMCIngles2.pdf
[3]
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2011-08/msg00312.html

[David Gerard]

Post by Federico Bruni
Here's a brief summary of the case: a public portuguese institution[1]
has organized a composition competition[2] where the music submitted
must be typeset either by Finale or Sibelius (both proprietary
software).

I think it's well worth the effort. MuseScore is fully up to the job,
according to several musicians and composers I know (even ones using
it on Windows). They even use it as a composition tool, because it
plays back MIDI!

Send them some MuseScore output (which is actually Lilypond output,
which is the best music typesetting that exists) and see what their
problem with it is?


- d.

[Sam Tuke]

Post by Federico Bruni
a public portuguese institution[1]
has organized a composition competition[2] where the music submitted
must be typeset either by Finale or Sibelius (both proprietary
software).
The organizers haven't explained why other programs are not allowed.
...the source file is not required by the
competition rules.

Thanks for sharing this. If you feel like it, two suggestions:

1. Write a brief open letter to the competition organisers, send it to
editors at fsfeurope.org and get it published on fsfe.org
2. Write a brief summary similar to the one in your email and post it on
FSDaily.

Thanks,

Sam.
--
Sam Tuke
British Team Coordinator
Free Software Foundation Europe
IM : samtuke at jabber.fsfe.org
Latest UK Free Software news: uk.fsfe.org
Is freedom important to you? Join the fellowship.fsfe.org
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[Timo Juhani Lindfors]

Post by Federico Bruni
It seems that there's no particular reason behind this requirement. The
organizers haven't explained why other programs are not allowed.
Probably, they will publish the score of the winner and they want to be
sure that the source is made by the software used by the big publishing
companies.

My guess is that they only know these two programs well. But again, you
better ask. You might get better answers if you attach a screencast that
illustrates how you can do the task with your free software program :-)

[miluz]

Post by Federico Bruni
a) run by public institutions
b) where free software is discriminated

Hi all,

Sorry if I disturb the discussion, and for my bad english, but for me,
free softwares will always be discriminated in a competition between
artists; even if a public institution rules it.

As an artist I hate the spirit of competition. It disturbs me. I can't
understand. So, maybe there's a lot who feel the same. See this team I
folllow since the begining as visualizer :
http://www.ixi-audio.net/content/software.html. They are doing research.
Do you think that they will answer to a public proposition to compare
their art with other musicians? They don't care. I also know a lot of
visualizers who need to create their software, and sometime their
hardware.. as the art needs to be discovered by artists for themselves
before... for the others, we only have to perform. In such a way, it is
a pleasure to meet other artists (and also developpers). It's a good
thing to create together.
So I would rather criticize public institutions to introduce competition
between artists, than ask them to participate.
As Noam Chomsky said "capitalism doesn't exist without States", they
can't do it for free softwares.

my 2?,
M.