Please feel free to forward this to those that would welcome it. * Talk: Free Software advances around the world http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html * Speaker: Bob Ham * Location: Madlab. (Manchester Digital Laboratory). * Address: 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester. M4 1HN. "(Between Thomas St and the Craft Centre, opposite A Bar Called Common)" http://madlab.org.uk/ * Date: Tuesday, 19th June 2012 (3rd Tuesday of the month) * Start time: 19:00 * Finish time: 20:30 Details ------- Free Software has had much success in different places around the world but people in the UK are often not aware of this. So Manchester Free Software is having a talk to help rectify this and inspire greater use of free software in the UK. "The talk will be describing some of the advances that free software has made in different countries around the world, discussing some of the pro-freedom legislation, the battles that have been fought with proprietary software companies, and highlighting the positive impact that Free Software has had." The event will include a Q&A session, discussion and then lively debate in the pub afterwards. Speaker ------- * Bob Ham "I've been using GNU+Linux and advocating free software for over 10 years. I have helped develop numerous free software projects including professional audio systems, high level database APIs, and more recently started working on software for free phones such as the Openmoko Freerunner and Golden Delicious GTA04. I work as a GNU+Linux system administrator." Location -------- The meeting will take place at the usual time, 7pm, at Madlab on Edge Street in the Northern Quarter. "(Between Thomas St and the Craft Centre, opposite A Bar Called Common)". The venue provides wifi. The talk is followed by an informal discussion in the bar opposite (A Place Called Common <http://www.aplacecalledcommon.co.uk/>). Transport --------- Parking: Around the venue there are parking meter bays that become zero cost after 8pm on Tuesday so you'll have to pay up until then and the maximum stay is 2 hours BUT MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY THIS. There are paid parking lots around the venue, the light blue P in this OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab <http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.48427&lon=-2.23652&zoom=15&a...;. A lot of them, perhaps all, are are owned by NCP <http://www.ncp.co.uk/>;. If you can't decide otherwise then park in Manchester Arndale <http://www.manchesterarndale.com/directions.aspx>;. Public Transport: Manchester Victoria (MCV) train station, Shudehill tram station and Manchester Piccadilly bus station are all fairly close to Madlab, see OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab <http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.48427&lon=-2.23652&zoom=15&a...;. Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) train station and Manchester Central Coach Station are not too far either. Further details at <http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/2012-06-19>;. More Information ---------------- General information about Manchester Free Software meetings can be found on our website. * http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/Meetings * http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/2012-06-19 If you would like five minutes to tell us about something, please contact us at <fsuk-manchester-team(a)nongnu.org&gt;. -- FSF member #9429 http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=9429 http://www.fsf.org/about "The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all free software users."