@fsf Where can I read about the legal licensing and copyleft issues surrounding generative AI algorithms like LLMs (Large Language Models) like Chat-GPT or Copilot, trained on GPL'd source code?
I wonder if there is a need for a new license that explicitly makes training generative AI on open source code requires the AI model to be open sourced?
Does the FSF have any written opinions or educational materials related to this topic of the relationship between copyleft and generative AI trained on copyleft source code?
#BraveBrowser is installing VPNs without users' consent, even if you didn't willingly enable their #VPN service. Just stop using #Brave, it's garbage.
Edit: the services are disabled by default, but they were still installed with very little to no transparency about them towards the user, alongside all the other stuff that's often unwanted from Brave users (Pocket on Firefox is to blame too, lol.)
I wonder at the level of latent desire for a full transition to Linux and #FOSS / #LibreSoftware within the technically savvy part of the business world (i.e. those running corporate/institutional networks who currently have to suffer with MS Windows). I suspect it's far higher than most people think.
Are there software licenses out there that guarantee to the user the ability to receive updates and improvements to a piece of open source software?
I don't know of any license other than the GPL that provides this guarantee to the user.
I know that I'm more motivated to learn a new tool when it is protected by the GPL because of this guarantee that future versions will also be open source.
When I license my own software, I choose the Affero GPLv3 because it provides this extra guarantee to the users, even if the software serving the user is on a webserver.
Reminder: our duty as folks who understand that #LibreSoftware is better for all of us is to adopt the following practice when we interact with the digital world: open (decentralised, non-profit, community-run) first, close (proprietary, surveillance capitalist, centralised) second, if at all. 1/2
Wow, just got asked to take part in an academic research project on privacy policies in the #Fediverse. In order to do so - and waive my privacy - I'm asked to fill in a Google Form. 🤦
There's something painfully naïve about this. I've responded offering to help them find a more appropriate replacement technology (I have a few #LibreSoftware options I can offer).
MongoDB's SSPL (Server Side Public License) sounds like an extremely strong copyleft form of free software license. It sounds like MongoDB took the AGPL and made it much stronger.
Respected "open source" groups have rejected MongoDB's copyleft open source free software license, such as the OSI, RedHat, and Debian.
The criticism of the SSPL do not seem to recognize that it is a copyleft free software license. Is the OSI really a protector of copyleft free software? The politics of these organizations seem to leaning anarcho-capitalist "libertarian".
I don't believe the SSPL will harm any specific field of endeavor. Databases are used in all fields of endeavor. They are usually one of many provided cloud computing services. Cloud computing services are used in most every field of endeavor these days. Even my toothbrush has a cloud database.
By rejecting the SSPL, the OSI, RedHat, Debian have appeared to have ignored the copyleft freedoms that the SSPL guarantees.
Bram Moolenaar, creator of #Vim, passed away on August 3rd. The announcement comes from his family on Google Groups and it's from a few hours ago. He will be missed by the huge community of Vim users.
All the memes about #RedHat having control over the #Linux and #libresoftware ecosystem may be turning true. If this whole source code situation continues this way, we may have to transition away from Red Hat technology. I'm not even really sure myself, maybe the year of the #OpenBSD desktop or the year of distros without #systemd is coming sooner than expected.
PSA to all free/libre/FLOSS software and service advocates:
The state of media and software the world over is in a grave state. Ads, subscriptions, and ads-in-subscriptions degrade more experiences than ever. If there ever was a time to bring alternatives to people's attention, it is now (and there are quite a few good alternatives too).
That said, poor advocacy could arguably be worse than no advocacy at all. @sphakos sums up the issue with bad advocacy in a few words here:
"UGGH! This does not acknowledge my negative experiences, my feelings, or my usage constraints. It immediately jumps into troubleshooting, problem solving, or software architecture.
Please for the love of your fellow human beings, validate people's negative experiences with free software!"
Remember that leaving entrenched systems aren't without cost, even if the destination is a better place. (And read the rest of the thread for even better posts!)
#JDLE2024
2e atelier de l'après-midi (auquel j'assiste, parce qu'il y en a plein d'autres, en parallèle) : Lancer un « Appel à Communs » dans l’éducation, animé par @framaka
Un 1er « appel à communs » sera lancé dans l’éducation en 2025.
Son objectif sera d’accompagner, soutenir et aider à passer à l’échelle les projets de la Forge (du numérique éducatif) sélectionnés pour leur haut potentiel et leur fort impact afin de proposer des services numériques de qualité. https://journee-du-libre-educatif.forge.aeif.fr/intervention/115-2/
If your educational institution is still using #Zoom, especially in light of their policy change to use/sell your content to train #LargeLanguageModels (#LLMs), it's doing the wrong thing. Digitally literate institutions (a rare & precious thing) already use #BigBlueButton (#BBB) which is #LibreSoftware & substantially better for educational applications. If you want to trial it, talk to us - we've been making our instances available for institutions to use since Covid: https://oer4covid.oeru.org
🎂 NGI TALER's amazing partner, @glsbank is turning 50 and they celebrate half a century of socio-ecological #banking on the 1st and 2nd of June at #Bohum!
💡On Sunday at 12:00 CEST, don't miss the workshop organised by @leoo under the title "Wer weiß, was du kaufst? Datenflut beim Bezahlen" presenting the unique benefits of @Taler for #privacy preserving digital payments based on #libresoftware !
The Libre Software Association is a collaboration (so far still virtual) on human-centered and green Software development. It was launched on Dec 04, 2023.