Telstra has revealed the addition of almost one million new mobile services in the six months to December 2011, but Sensis revenues plummeted 24 percent in 12 months.
Linux Australia, Australia's peak Open Source Software community group, announced the launch of a petition today calling on the Australian Federal Government to resist pressure to abandon consumer and competition rights when drafting anti-circumvention laws. New laws are required under the terms of the Free Trade Agreement negotiated between Australia and the United States.
"The treaty doesn't force us to implement this like the US, where these
laws have driven litigation to suppress academic publications, prevent
third-party printer cartridge manufacturers, and eliminate competition
by Open Source software. But naturally some large business interests
are pressing for the same restrictions on legitimate access to digital
material here." said Rusty Russell, Linux Australia's IP Policy Adviser.
"Consumers should continue to enjoy full use of their legitimately
purchased digital material, whether it be playing DVDs, copying CDs
onto their iPods, using computer programs of their choice, or playing
iTunes-bought songs on non-iPod MP3 players. You've paid for it, you
use it as you see fit."
Con Zymaris, a director with the Open Source Industry Association,
joined with Russell. "Australian small businesses are world-class at
using, deploying and building Open Source software. We must be free to
do so without fear of lawsuits from the larger incumbents we compete
against."
Linux Australia President Jon Oxer called for a focus on consumer
rights and support. Oxer urged all those who would be affected by the
new laws to download a copy of the petition and get as many signatures
as possible.
"If we don't push back now, Australian competition, consumer rights and
freedoms will be hamstrung as we enter the digital age."
David Bass
| For the fourth year in a row, IDC has placed content security provider Websense (NASDAQ: WBSN) at the top of the IDC Worldwide Web Security 2011 –…
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