Since it has been roughly one year since the newest board members were chosen, I'd like to put on my new hat as chair of the License Committee and recap some license committee highlights from this past year.
Some things that got done:
Former OSI Board member Danese Cooper writes:
One of the pillars of the Indian FOSS Community passed away this week. Known for his humor, his uncompromising honesty and his generosity in sharing FOSS knowledge with like-minded individuals. His sudden passing after a massive heart attack has shocked and saddened his friends across the FOSS World.
We just received confirmation that OSI's request to be added as a signatory to the Declaration of Internet Freedom has been accepted. We endorse this Declaration and encourage authorities worldwide to embrace it and implement regulations protecting the principles it espouses.
Just to make sure that everyone knows, this "OpenSource" user on Google Plus posts links to interesting Open Source software, and has nothing to do with us. When they talk about "members" they mean people who have circled them. Nothing to do with our membership program. Share and enjoy!
As part of the OSI’s governance reform, we are planning to establish a mechanism for individuals to join the OSI. We recently conducted a survey to ask people about their interest in joining, and to learn some preferences about how best to proceed. We received more than 350 replies to the survey, which was initially announced at FOSDEM in February 2012. The respondents came from many different countries, and had widely differing experiences with open source software. We are grateful to those who took the time to participate in the survey.
The Requirement
The OSI recently instituted a term limit on directors (after two terms, a director must be off the board for at least one year). In the most recent election cycle, this resulted in Michael Tiemann stepping down from the board and the Presidency. The newly-elected directors officially started their terms this April 1st, and their first meeting was today, April 4th. At that meeting, the Board passed the following resolution by unanimous & enthusiastic consent, with the new directors participating:
Thank you, Michael!The Open Source Initiative thanks Michael Tiemann for his decade of service and sensitive leadership on the OSI Board, and hopes that he will continue to be involved with the OSI for a long time.
I just read this in Nature:
The researchers designed the structure of the nanorobots using open-source software, called Cadnano, developed by one of the authors — Shawn Douglas, a biophysicist at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. They then built the bots using DNA origami. The barrel-shaped devices, each about 35 nanometres in diameter, contain 12 sites on the inside for attaching payload molecules and two positions on the outside for attaching aptamers, short nucleotide strands with special sequences for recognizing molecules on the target cell. The aptamers act as clasps: once both have found their target, they spring open the device to release the payload.
These robots may be able to identify and target cancer cells.
UPDATE: Please note this survey was completed in March 2012 and the data was used to design OSI Individual Membership
The Open Source Initiative is switching to a member-led governance. For that, it will need members.
The OSI Board would be very grateful if you would complete the totally anonymous survey which will help us understand what attributes you would like from OSI membership in the future. Thanks for your help!
New Hampshire has passed a new law that is summarized as follows:
This bill requires state agencies to consider open source software when acquiring software and promotes the use of open data formats by state agencies. This bill also directs the commissioner of information technology to develop a statewide information policy based on principles of open government data.
They are living up to the high standards of their state motto!
