Eurolinux Alliance

Eurolinux advocates Public policies which lead to European Digital Independence: Eurolinux aims to overcome strategic dependencies of our critical information infrastructure which put European citizens at risk. Linux is a strategic means to this end. Some policies we advocate:

• Full-scale Linux migration of the Public sector: Europe has to reape the benefit from the Free and open source software development that takes place in Europe. Cities like Munich with their scattered approaches show the potential for Europe. Spending from the public sector should translate directly into job creation in Europe. Europeans have to control their plattform or public ICT spending would be wasted. Software procured by the public sector ought to be licensed as free and open source software (FLOSS) to promote job creation, skills development and re-use in Europe.
• Step up ICT market order and interoperability enforcement: Competition law enforcement in Europe is pretty weak. It takes years. The recent cases have demonstrated the disrespect of super-dominant ICT companies from third nations towards the European authorities. Long proceedings and litigation are required for an implementation of very basic measures for legal compliance. Markets move much faster. Therefore we need strong preemptive measures to keep the ICT markets open for competition and innovation in a way that enables small and medium sized companies to participate on a level playing field.
• Mandatory "open standards": We need meaningful measures against a discrimination of competitors with dark standards. Mandatory promotion of "open standards" has to be accompanied by a set of corresponding fierce sanctions against the use of proprietary formats, that is conventions for the exchange of data which are not documented ("dark") or where interoperability is artificially restricted by patent claims.
• Abolition of soft patenting: Soft patenting has failed. It rewards trivial ideas of lawyers and stifles the creativity of software innovators. European legislators never endorsed software patentability. Soft patentability undermines competition and the freedom of the market. It is time to act and ban software patents. A ban on software patentability will strengthen the competitiveness of Europe as a location for software entrepreneurs and creative minds.
• Sustainable public investments in Linux development for the preservation of our digital liberties: We propose a one billion fund for the creation of a Eurolinux Operating System Distribution based on the existing Linux eco-system, and activities from the European public sector as a public private partnership. Europe has to advance the market migration toward a free information infrastructure.
• Source code disclosure obligation by 2020: Software with undisclosed sources puts homeland security in Europe at risk. Dark source software typically is receptive to viruses and worms. You don't know what the software does when performed on your machine. You cannot fix its vulnerabilities and rely on the manufacturer of the software to do so. Eurolinux believes dark source software which does not authorise you to inspect the source should be banned. We propose a smooth transition to deal with legacy software and a permissive set of exceptions..

FAQ

• Is is wrong for me to use proprietary, dark software? We fully respect the view of people who find it unethical to use proprietary software. In our mind everyone should enjoy the freedom to chose. You ought to chose and use the software that is best for your task, that you find the most convenient. But it is wrong that the source code is not disclosed to you. You shouldn't negotiate as a user with companies which put you at risk with their dark software for whatever reasons. Software producers should be required by law to disclose source code.
• What is your definition of "open standards"? All standards shall adhere to the minimum requirements of the EU IDABC European Interoperability Framework, as an alternative you can take the definition from the Digital Standards Organization. For ICT purposes these requirements should be hard coded into the EU standards directive.
• What does Eurolinux think about the ISO defition of "open standards"?Calling a chair 'a cow' will not make it go 'Moo'. It is an insignificant PR stunt which shows the vulnerability of these institutions to hostile capture. The term "open standard" is not used by ISO. We need to strengthen the independence of organizations as ISO/IEC with significant reforms, and sanction capture of the standardization process.
• How shall interoperability be enforced? When companies refuse to lay open their code or standards. For domestic companies legal requirement, trade tools and sanctions are a powerful tool to promote interoperability abroad. We are confident the European Commission can conduct WTO talks under the EU treaty mandate to promote free trade and markets.
• Does Eurolinux want to destroy Microsoft? No.
• Why do you speak of Linux, not GNU/Linux? We did so in the past but uninitiated persons would easily confuse GNU/Linux with the GNU/HURD, GNU/Solaris etc. systems. Precision does not matter as much as professionals tend to believe. We enjoy our freedom to participate as Eurolinux both in GNU/Linux and Linux events.