[KLUG Members] Broadband Presentation in Lansing

[members@kalamazoolinux.org]

 Paul VandenBosch <admin@cruisenews.net> wrote:
>I was at a presentation today by some top dogs in the Governors Office and 
>the Public Service Commission where they announced that bills have been 
>passed which will make it more attractive for broadband providers to invest 
>in infrastructure in Michigan. 
At least a couple of KLUG memebers and open source advocates from other parts 
of Michigan were involved in the hearings and provided testimony. The feeling
has been that this is important legislation, and we need to be aware of these
recently passed laws, so we can understand what may be coming in broadband
offerings in the area.

>The most significant part of this presentation was when...
>on a cell phone for help to get a Windows machine going.  In 
>front of 500 people!  *** :^p
Amusing. Some of those closed-source, binary only alternative platforms
seem to have these difficulties. 

>Maybe we need to start lobbying for open source in state government!
Maybe?

Officially, KLUG can't "lobby" in the formal sense of the term, but we CAN
"educate, inform, and orient" governemnt officials at all levels about 
any issue we feel is important. I would suggest that anyone who wishes 
to perform this kind of service join our advocacy list, where we can 
discuss this sort of activity. As individuals, we can make our views heard
on several public policy issues relating to information processing and 
technology, including Free Software, intellectual property rights, licensing
issues, and so forth.

							Regards,
							---> RGB <---