Ubuntu’s website states: “Ubuntu: The world’s most popular free OS”.

I call bullshit. GNU/Linux is the world’s most popular free OS.

New Licensing

I have a bone to pick with Canonical, and Ubuntu, especially after reading this nugget:

http://fridge.ubuntu.com/2014/02/13/community-council-statement-on-canonical-package-licensing/

And there it is — predictably — in the spirit of Non-Ubuntu. ” Let’s see if we can screw this ‘GPL thing'”  must be what the lawyers thought.

Ubuntu has a Logo, and a number of Trademarks.

“Ubuntu” is also an African word,  as well as a repository of open-source software.

It seems like the Canonical lawyers cannot figure out which of these things it is that they should enforce to keep themselves “protected”, and thus they have stupidly blanketed everything under their “Intellectual Property Policy“.  With “Unity”, or “Unification” being the operative words inside canonical these days, I guess the concept of unification must have filtered down to the legal department too.

What is the definition of “Ubuntu” as per the Intellectual Property Policy? Well, apparently everything. Because it’s certainly not specific. Note to lawyers (IANAL): If you are going to claim something you need to be very specific.

Cue Richard Stallman and the EFF having a fit. As am I.

Canonical, farcically renamed their “trademark policy” to an “intellectual rights policy”  (but don’t worry, apparently nothing’s changed, they just made things “clearer”).

Their policy is published under a CC-BY-SA license, just to make things clearer too 🙂 — you’re free to copy the “Ubuntu Intellection Property Policy” under attribution, but not — apparently create a derivative binary distribution.

Let’s examine this “intellectual rights” policy “summary” a bit:

1. Summary

• You can download, install and receive updates to Ubuntu for free.
• You can modify Ubuntu for personal or internal commercial use.
• You can redistribute Ubuntu, but only where there has been no modification to it.
• You can use our copyright, patent and design materials in accordance with this IPRights Policy.
• You can be confident and can trust in the consistency of the Ubuntu experience.
• You can rely on the standard expected of Ubuntu.

This is bullshit:

• Of course, I can get updates for free. Most of Ubuntu is free and open-source software. In fact, most of the mirrors that offer your software is provided for free. (I operate one of your mirrors for free –  you cocks).
• I can modify it for any use I want, that’s what open-source licenses are intended to foster —  Commercial or otherwise, as long as I abide by the licenses of the source creators. “private or internal commercial use”  is not a restriction in the GPL, and you cannot bind me to it.
• I can distribute “ubuntu” which is a set of packages (GPL and other licensed) in any way I see fit, and the source code license specifically allows for modification, as long as I publish those modifications on the internet, or via medium, when requested. Except of course, for proprietary code which Ubuntu may have published under a different license.
• Please indicate what specifically is copyrighted, and patented or design materials by licensing them like anyone else would. Your blanket policy is ineffectual.

So, Canonical are now claiming intellectual property rights, and “approval veto”  on the GCC binary linked output of open-source software simply because they have associated it with a trademark!

I have to “recompile” Ubuntu  in order to re-distribute it. Hmm, I think not. In fact, the GPL puts the onus on the GPL licensee to make sure that object code distributed has to provide “all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control those activities”. 

This certainly does not affect the binary object. In fact, I’d like you to prove, that given the above, I’m not able to produce the same binary object.

The binary object is also not licensed, or licenseable, except for the conditions that the GPL imposes.

The GPL explicitly states under section 5 that:  “Inclusion of a covered work in an aggregate does not cause this License to apply to the other parts of the aggregate.” Meaning, you cannot restrict my use of binaries within an aggregate outside the scope of the GPL, by inversion.

No matter what you do to Ubuntu, Canonical, if YOU distribute GPL binaries you cannot change my rights due to  inclusion in your aggregate.

So fuck you. I shall copy your binary packages. Not that I want to. I use Debian.

Now:  Let’s Queue the FUD ( does this sound familiar, anyone?)

We do not recommend using modified versions of Ubuntu which are not modified in accordance with this IPRights Policy. Modified versions may be corrupted and users of such modified systems or images may find them to be inconsistent with the updates published by Canonical to its users. If they use the Trademarks, they are in contravention of this IPRights Policy. Canonical cannot guarantee the performance of such modified versions. Canonical’s updates will be consistent with every version of Ubuntu approved, certified or provided by Canonical.

Frankly, how the FUCK can they claim that (by inversion again) “Canonical CAN guarantee the performance of  ANY versions.” ?

They can guarantee nothing!

Specifically because the primary pillar of the GPL states the following EVERYWHERE: “11. BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM,”

So, Canonical cannot guarantee the performance of modified versions. Woop-de-doo. The simple fact is that  Canonical  cannot guarantee JACKSHIT for any package  in the first place, according to the GPL.

Let’s move onto their trademarks section:

Canonical’s Trademarks (registered in word and logo form) include:

UBUNTU	KUBUNTU	EDUBUNTU
XUBUNTU	JUJU	LANDSCAPE

• You can use the Trademarks, in accordance with Canonical’s brand guidelines, with Canonical’s permission in writing. If you require a Trademark licence, please contact us (as set out below).
• You will require Canonical’s permission to use: (i) any mark ending with the letters UBUNTU or BUNTU which is sufficiently similar to the Trademarks or any other confusingly similar mark, and (ii) any Trademark in a domain name or URL or for merchandising purposes.

Holy what ? You claim rights to words, domains and trademarks ending in*BUNTU?

How about FUCKUBUNTU.COM? (which by the way, is already registered, to my dismay).

But, apparently:

You can use the Trademarks in discussion, commentary, criticism or parody, provided that you do not imply endorsement by Canonical.

Thank you guys, you really made me feel safe with that “allowance” for my freedom of speech. Very kind of you.

Other Approaches

To be fair, it’s not like the Debian project hasn’t engaged in brand protecting activities like this either. Debian enforced rights associated with their logo, for example against deb-multimedia.org, by asserting that the words “debian” and the use of the logo was confusing users : http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/pkg-multimedia-maintainers/2012-May/026678.html

The debian project however, understood the difference between a logo, and a word, and asked nicely if debian-multimedia.org would stop using the words and logo to avoid confusion. The logo was removed and deb-multimedia.org created. Case closed.

Their approach was way different, and more in the spirit of Ubuntu, than “Ubuntu”.

In Summary

A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.

– Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Nicely done Canonical. Your warped sense of Ubuntu is certainly showing.

Over the years I’ve heavily complained whenever my media-server/firewall  linux server dies. Since I also use this box for my own personal development/code, it’s become a real pain when it dies.

This is usually due to a hard drive failure incident. I’ve now gotten gatvol of this, and decided to get a new system.

I did go a little bit nuts on the HDD redundancy side this time, and also — a bit crazy with the design.

One of the principal requirements was a zero-noise policy. Having fans spinning in my study (whilst quaint, and steampunky) has become overbearing. Most of my “live” wall-based PC decorations sleep when they’re not used (thank you Wake-On-Lan) but the box that controls this all is typically always alive, and has to be accessible all the time.

Meet the spider:

Components:

• Mini-ATX Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WiFi
• CPU: Core i7-4770k 3.5GHz
• CPU Cooler: Zalman FX100 (fanless)
• SSDS: 2 x Samsung MZ-7TE250 250GB’s
• HDDS: 2 x Seagate ST1000DX001 hybrid 1Tb drives

The spider final welded construction

Creative environment

So, I’ve been working on the steam/cyberpunk feel for my home study for the last two years. It’s been a fantastic, and very creative hobby, and it’s been a great challenge to turn my otherwise boring, grey-plastically contained computer stuff into something really decorative.  Ergo, a place where I can feel creative.

Workstation, Beer, an Old Pentium II (bootable)

Router, AP, Switch, Debian BuildBox, and “Things”

The Artefact Containment Centre

Unexpected Visitor

Two weeks ago I had an unexpected organic entrant to my study. A grapevine grew through the outside window from my Koi Pond area, and has started attaching itself to my kit. My initial reaction was to clip it, but after some deliberation I’ve decided to encourage it. Note the cable tie providing “guided” support.

Vine Intruder

The way it has simply started to attach itself to my electronics, looking for a foothold, is something that — when thinking about it —  is what a lot of dark Sci-Fi is really about. Even cybernetics. The combination of organic things and technology. The only thing I’ve had to do is to provide the extra support. All of the rest of the “tangling around” cables just happened naturally.

Vine Wires

Also, from experience — the vines die in winter, and will leave behind a really nice combination of wiring, and old dried vines/leaves behind, only for the cycle to be repeated next year.

In fact, this random act of nature, might just form the part of the “feel” I’ve been trying to create for years.

Random organisms — Funny stuff that. As Vincenzia would say:  “In THIS house, things happen very organically.”

/me reminds himself to update GreenPeace subscription. The older I get the more I appreciate the natural world. Except maybe for Bushveld dust, and Cicadas.

Those I will keep hating.

In order to promote a kick-ass cover of Animotion’s “Obsession” by a South African band called TERMINATRYX, I present my version of the Promo Bay 🙂

Follow them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TERMINATRYX

Education

The original Animotion version was recorded for their self-titled debut album, released in 1984. This version became a massive success, and it remains Animotion’s biggest hit.

“Obsession” is a mainstay on 1980s compilations and is featured in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as part of the New Wave radio station Wave 103.

Today, a companion for the last 15 years passed away.

Dear Scooter.

I’m going to miss you you bugger.

Scooter was the only survivor of a fire in one of the outbuildings of our property where he and 4 other Daschies were sleeping.

He bailed at the first smell of smoke and woke us to the disaster.

He also bit me on the lip when I tried to interfere with his conjugal visits one night whilst working late. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Never blink when accosting a Dachshund going about  his “business”.

It kinda solidified the mutual “don’t mess with me” respect we’ve had over the years. He knew, and I knew.

He came to us as a cast-away from a Vet, as his owner had decided that he didn’t have “show-dog” temperament, and wanted him euthanased.

I came home after he’d been “visiting” us for a few hours and decreed that he was going to stay, and thus he did — until today.

Best frigging non-show-dog frumpy attitude I’ve seen in a dog all my life.

Along with Ruben, Vincenzia, Delphi, Turbo, Pascal (x2), Perl, Liquourice, Mouse, Junior, Pedro, and all the other beings that have shared your existence over the years : I salute you.

(Scooter was named after the first commercial search spider bot on the internet, run by Altavista)