indymedia hacked!!! hacked first page advertises anti software patent protest!!
it appears that indymedia uk has been hacked....when i try to get to the imc uk homepage i am presented with details of a protest against software patents in europe...surely imc uk people wouldn't allow this?
I think it is that the people that run the site (and run the server) agree with the protest and have put that page up.
Personally, i think that they are perfectly entitled to do it. Seems how Indymedia would be affected by the Software Patents (as they run linux and use an open source project: mir).
i wanted to block the front page on our website after seeing it today but being basically website illiterate i couldn't work out how to do it and the banner things, it says "if you get 1 hit per second" and, er, i think not.... so i couldn't but the protest on the 14th April i can still tell people about, now i know, but it might have been better if there had been a bit of info about it earlier because this is very dramatic and everything, but its really short notice now for people to get there.
Why shouldn't I have my livelyhood protected. Writing software is how I make my living. Just because you have hot used to stealing software doesn't mean you should be able to go on doing it.
legal arguement is not patentable but lawyers are still well paid and encouraged to develop it.
surgical techniques are not patentable but surgeons are still well paid and encouraged to develop them.
To swap your homepage with strike one can be done if different ways depending on access you have to your web server and how existing homepage set up.
If you only have ftp access:
rename your homepage index.htm (if not allready) view: http://j12.org/ffii.html save a copy of as index.html in same directory and upload web pages as normal and that should work. To restore rename index.htm homepage to index.html and upload.
If you use a dynamic web site that uses php try grabbing a copy of http://blog.fempages.org/ffii.html instead It's continue link (and refresh) goes to index.php instead of index.htm
If you have server with loads of sites you may want to add ffii.html to DirectoryIndex in httpd.conf (or maybe .htaccess)
Software Writer, you're a fool. Software patents are nothing to do with protecting programmer's livelihoods and everything to do with protecting corporate profits. Do you really think that your job is more secure when you have to research every single algorithm you ever think up at the patent registry, just in case someone else on the other side of the planet happened to think of it first and you owe them royalties? These patents will royally screw over both the open source community and small commercial software producers.All that'll be left is the likes of Apple and IBM and Microsoft - because only corporations will be able to afford the large quantities of lawyers needed in order to write software.
(Of course, you might be working for the likes of Apple or Microsoft, in which case, I'm all for screwing over your livelihood)
how the hell does closing your website solve anything????
we should be making copies of our sites or, maybe making a simple one that utilises all of the proposed patents and then putting them on loads [millions] of different servers...
if we all break the law they can't lock us all up CAN THEY???
The article's written by the guy that started the Gnu project, which kind of morphed into the Gnu/Linux project that tends to get misleadingly called 'Linux' these days.
Well done to the indymedia crew for highlighting this important issue.
the reason i blocked the front page of manchester social forum website was because there is a massive corporate attack going on at the moment on open source/free software/file sharing. i made the site using mozilla and the purpose of the site is to inform and network. we couldn't afford to buy software to do it any other way and it was good to be able to choose also not to use microsoft add-ons like front page.
i think that there is no argument that issues such as palestine, iraq, the rape of the planet are infinitely more worthy of protest... of course they are but without the tools to do the job, there wouldn't be any independent media which we could have this discussion on. also a small group should as ourselves would be completely confused if we had to start fishing around for patents, costs, ownership etc for bits of software or paying money we haven't got. Instead we rely on people who share knowledge and help us out with problems, free stuff etc, without which I would have given up trying to put the website together a long time ago. So it is important because otherwise small grassroots groups/organisations whatever will get cleaned away (and wouldn't the people who own the patents just love that?)
I don't know at all whats involved in any mass copying of the site etc. sounds as if it would be excellent but it would be a bigger thing that would mean people having to spend more time and energy planning and doing it. which usually means it is a lot less likely to actually happen. its a small thing to change the front page so people are more likely to do it (sad, but true)
and the sites not actually blocked, just masked. but the front page is effective in spreading the message around and the issue directly affects indymedia (and everyone else who uses open source software).
Other issues such as Palestine take their turn in the centre column of the IMUK main page. They also get highlighted on the non-virtual streets.
This issue is best represented online. When the virtual picket appeared on my screen I thought IMUK was actually going to be unavailable for the duration, and so I was quite surprised when it was replaced with the site proper.
Do people remember when BT tried to make a claim on 'hyperlinks' ? Well that's an example of the kind of nonsense this law would encourage. Not just code, but concepts. Like the the timed redirect thingy which takes you from the Strike front page to the site. IMUK would be expected to pay a usage fee if someone or some firm could establish patent rights to that idea.
"Why shouldn't I have my livelyhood protected. Writing software is how I make my living. Just because you have hot used to stealing software doesn't mean you should be able to go on doing it."
You should be doubly worried then.
Have you seen IBM's software patent portfolio? perhaps 20000 patents. Or Microsofts, or Suns?
Simple fact is ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE SOFTWARE, without breaching some assholes patent.
There are patents on stuff like "Buttons on a form" and the like.
These large companies will be entitled to STEAL YOUR SOFTWARE.
Patents are not copyright. They cover ideas, not implementation.
Thats why programmers are taking the lead in the fight against this. We want to be able to make money of this stuff, not just some rich fuck in america.
Comments
Hide the following 15 comments
no, i don't think so
11.04.2004 12:34
Personally, i think that they are perfectly entitled to do it. Seems how Indymedia would be affected by the Software Patents (as they run linux and use an open source project: mir).
Anyone from IMC-UK admin want to quote?
fredrico
e-mail:
musteatvegan@yahoo.co.uk
Indymedia supports the protest against software patents
11.04.2004 12:34
bunny
Homepage:
http://www2.indymedia.org.uk
Other IMC's are also supporting this
11.04.2004 13:06
Chris
i tried to join the shutdown but...
11.04.2004 14:00
so i couldn't but the protest on the 14th April i can still tell people about, now i know, but it might have been better if there had been a bit of info about it earlier because this is very dramatic and everything, but its really short notice now for people to get there.
heather
Homepage:
http://www.manchestersocialforum.org.uk
This is my income
11.04.2004 14:01
Software Writer
livelyhood from ideas / how page swap is done
11.04.2004 14:54
but lawyers are still well paid
and encouraged to develop it.
surgical techniques are not patentable
but surgeons are still well paid
and encouraged to develop them.
To swap your homepage with strike one can be done if different ways depending on access you have to your web server and how existing homepage set up.
If you only have ftp access:
rename your homepage index.htm (if not allready)
view:
save a copy of as index.html in same directory and upload web pages as normal and that should work. To restore rename index.htm homepage to index.html and upload.
If you use a dynamic web site that uses php try grabbing a copy of
It's continue link (and refresh) goes to index.php instead of index.htm
If you have server with loads of sites you may want to add ffii.html to DirectoryIndex in httpd.conf (or maybe .htaccess)
eg DirectoryIndex ffii.html index.html ...
and in login shell as prompt
wget
in any directory you want to have page if it's normal page as index.html ( note if you use oen from
when strike is over you just need to change DirectoryIndex back rather than remove all ffii.html
bunny
Homepage:
http://j12.org/sb/
And your livelihood is protected by patents?
11.04.2004 14:56
(Of course, you might be working for the likes of Apple or Microsoft, in which case, I'm all for screwing over your livelihood)
Aim Here
astroturf
11.04.2004 15:00
You are not a programmer, or you'ld be aware that your work is already protected by copyright laws.
The protests are against software patents, not software copyright.
mark
thanks bunny
11.04.2004 16:06
heather
Homepage:
http://www.manchestersocialforum.org.uk
software patents are bad but...
11.04.2004 17:56
i've never seen this tactic used on imc for any other issues e.g. iraq, palestine, the general rape of the planet......etc etc etc
sprightly
respect, but
11.04.2004 18:18
we should be making copies of our sites or,
maybe making a simple one that utilises all of the proposed patents
and then putting them on loads [millions] of different servers...
if we all break the law they can't lock us all up
CAN THEY???
strange form of protest this...
good luck
but i won't be closing anything...
Captain Wardrobe
Accessible article about software patents
11.04.2004 23:49
The article's written by the guy that started the Gnu project, which kind of morphed into the Gnu/Linux project that tends to get misleadingly called 'Linux' these days.
Well done to the indymedia crew for highlighting this important issue.
Joeboy
why i thought it was important enough to do it
12.04.2004 00:06
i think that there is no argument that issues such as palestine, iraq, the rape of the planet are infinitely more worthy of protest... of course they are
but without the tools to do the job, there wouldn't be any independent media which we could have this discussion on. also a small group should as ourselves would be completely confused if we had to start fishing around for patents, costs, ownership etc for bits of software or paying money we haven't got. Instead we rely on people who share knowledge and help us out with problems, free stuff etc, without which I would have given up trying to put the website together a long time ago. So it is important because otherwise small grassroots groups/organisations whatever will get cleaned away (and wouldn't the people who own the patents just love that?)
I don't know at all whats involved in any mass copying of the site etc. sounds as if it would be excellent but it would be a bigger thing that would mean people having to spend more time and energy planning and doing it. which usually means it is a lot less likely to actually happen. its a small thing to change the front page so people are more likely to do it (sad, but true)
and the sites not actually blocked, just masked. but the front page is effective in spreading the message around and the issue directly affects indymedia (and everyone else who uses open source software).
heather
'Net Strike' goes with the territory
12.04.2004 08:10
This issue is best represented online. When the virtual picket appeared on my screen I thought IMUK was actually going to be unavailable for the duration, and so I was quite surprised when it was replaced with the site proper.
Do people remember when BT tried to make a claim on 'hyperlinks' ? Well that's an example of the kind of nonsense this law would encourage. Not just code, but concepts. Like the the timed redirect thingy which takes you from the Strike front page to the site. IMUK would be expected to pay a usage fee if someone or some firm could establish patent rights to that idea.
bobby
Patents are not copyright.
12.04.2004 08:50
You should be doubly worried then.
Have you seen IBM's software patent portfolio? perhaps 20000 patents. Or Microsofts, or Suns?
Simple fact is ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE SOFTWARE, without breaching some assholes patent.
There are patents on stuff like "Buttons on a form" and the like.
These large companies will be entitled to STEAL YOUR SOFTWARE.
Patents are not copyright. They cover ideas, not implementation.
Thats why programmers are taking the lead in the fight against this. We want to be able to make money of this stuff, not just some rich fuck in america.
meep