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EC Dumps Open Source Conference
jaruz writes "MERIT is no longer organising the conference on the topic of Open Standards and Libre Software in Government at UNESCO Paris, November 24-26, 2003. Until now, MERIT was responsible for the logistics and through the FLOSSPOLS project, EC funding for the conference. This is now wholly withdrawn. They 'have taken this decision in consultation with the European Commission, whose support for this conference was earlier being provided through the proposed FLOSSPOLS project at MERIT.'"
Libre software has been used for a number of years now, and not just in Europe (and certainly not limited to France). Every year there is a FLOSDAM conferencem where the "L" is for Libre :). There is (in France...) the annual Libre Software Meeting (three years now).
:). Perhaps I should find myself an available (?Libre?) girl next time I am in Paris?!
"Free", in English, is confusing; does one mean free as in cost or free as in freedom? "Libre"/Livre (Spanish) has no such immediate ambiguity; although, since the Air France lavortories advertise themselves as "Libre" when available also, I wonder if there is different overloaded meanings in French for that word
I'm also European, and French, although I live in Belgium, lived in the UK and the US. This is not the first time I heard the term Free/Libre Software, and I also wondered why the word 'Libre'. I thought in the end that this wasn't such a bad thing: if the word 'Free' can be confusing in English, might as well find another word that removes the confusion, notably for those that do not understand English like native speakers.
'Libre' in French only means free as in freedom and not free as in free beer. It is also a Spanish word, but in that language I cannot confirm whether it only means free as in freedom. Any Spanish speaker around here?