Richard Stallman, Inventor of Free Software to Speak at KIS International School
FLOSS or Free and Open Source Software makes sense for education: it encourages curiosity, experimentation and sharing. It's affordable, yet it can also be sold or supported as a service. It's powerful and dependable, yet you can download it for free. Furthermore, it's legal and using it in schools sets a good example. The fact that it is developed by opt-in teams over the Internet makes it a model of up-to-date pedagogy. You use it already if you use Firefox, Audacity, The Gimp or Linux, to name a few examples. Come hear its inventor, Richard Stallman (http://gnu.org), contribute to the establishment of the Free Software for Education Foundation in Thailand, and learn how to improve your Ed-Tech program at home and at school. http://flossedbk.flossed.org at KIS International School, Bangkok on Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2009. Contact: david@flossed.org or 02 980 9464.
I. Richard M. Stallman Speech:"The Free Software Movement and Why it's Important to You"
October 30, 2009 at KIS International School, Huay Kwang, Bangkok at 7:00 PM
http://flossedbk.flossed.org/location
II. Conference on Free and Open Source Software (and content) for Education
October 31-November 1, 2009
KIS International School
Organzed by http://flossed.org
Conference URL: http://flossedbk.flossed.org
Contact: information@flossed.org
***What's it about?***
FlossEd.org fosters Free and Open Source Software for schools. Currently supported by International Knowledge Networks, Co., Ltd., a pioneer in 'sustainable learning technologies', http://Flossed.org (a.k.a. OpenSourceSchools.org) is proud to announce a conference aimed at raising awareness of and teaching about how to employ FLOSS in schools.
***When is it?***
A two day conference on October 31st and November 1st, 2009, at KIS International School in Huaway Kwang, it will actually begin the night before, at 7:30 pm (on Friday, the 30th) with an important speech for Thailand by Mr. Richard M. Stallman, inventor of "Free Software," the GPL (General Public License) and the E-macs programming environment.
***Why it's important***
This is only the second time Mr. Stallman has ever been in the Kingdom. Thus it is an important opportunity for teachers, students, and those who care about the issues surrounding copyright laws and individual rights. Additionally, all those interested in Free and Open Source Software will want to hear the man who started it all by inventing a license aimed at guaranteeing rather than restricting the rights of users to share, explore and change (hopefully improving) software.
In Thailand where the average citizen cannot afford the legal price of software and is told s/he is breaking the law for wanting the power of "modern" learning tools, Free and Open Source Software offers a legal means of obtaining that modernity.
For international schools that think more expensive means better, we invite them to scrutinize the roots and "source" of both "free" and "proprietary" tools to discover the power, flexibility and integrity of free software.
For those of you worried about recycling, global warming and other environmental issues: Did you realize that your computer is part of the problem? Free Software is about making a smaller footprint and choosing sustainable technologies.
Under the General Public License, or GPL, and its descendants, one even has the freedom to sell the software, under one condition: she or he is prohibited from restricting the software-freedoms of anyone else. The most famous example of Free Software is Linux, but other well-known examples include Firefox, Audacity and OpenOffice. Humorously called "copyleft", because it copyrights software and then turns it into a protection for the user as well as its author, the GPL is the inspiration behind other free and open licenses including those of the popular Creative Commons.
***Conference Details***
The conference will have more than 30 workshops over two days. The workshops will cover theory, planning and practice of using and teaching with FLOSS in schools. A current list of workshops can be found at http://flossedbk.flossed.org/about with longer descriptions at http://flossedbk.flossed.org/workshoplist. Workshops will be in Thai and English. Teachers, programmers, technology managers, school heads and community members are cordially invited.
***How much does it cost?***
***Conference October 31st and November 1st all day at KIS International School, Bangkok***
The cost of admission is 2,000 Baht for Thai school teachers and 3,000 Baht for business professionals and international school faculty and staff members.
*** Richard Stallman's Speech Only (October 30, 2009 at 7 PM at KIS Int'l School, Bangkok)***
University Students: 100 Baht
Students (any level) with a Teacher: FREE!
Adults: 750 Baht
Funds will be used to cover conference costs and Mr. Stallman's travel and accomodation. Remaining funds will go toward the establishment of The Foundation for Free and Open Source Education in Thailand.
***For more information***
02 980 9464