Dave Lane @lightweight@mastodon.nzoss.nz

So for my security-minded friends/followers - if I wanted to set up a *self hosted* #FOSS directory service to consolidate user info as well as provide comprehensive single sign-on to a raft of #FOSS applications, should I be investing my time in Keycloak or FreeIPA? Or is there something else that's clearly better?

Interested to come across this: https://25mail.st/ - a NZ-based email service offering (for your own domain) built on #FOSS tools... you just pay for the service, not a "license" to use it. This could be the way to go if you don't back yourself to build/host your own email solution. And the folks at Rimu Hosting are good value, in my experence.

Just a warning to the world: I'm not big on diplomacy at the best of times, but today my patience for people shovelling the same old shit excuses for why they didn't/don't do the right thing is approaching zero.

Here's another example of why it's deeply foolish to use any proprietary software: https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-ito-shut-down-its-wunderlist-to-do-app-in-may-2020/ This sort of thing can happen at any time. It's a non-technical infinite liability.

For what it's worth, here's why proprietary software is the *wrong* thing: https://davelane.nz/reflections-proprietary-software

In a world where mindshare is currently dominated by proprietary software (due to aforementioned marketing), it's hard to convince people #FOSS is the *right* thing, because most people focus on expedience rather than principle. It's like a sportsperson saying: "well, we have to use some steroids, because everyone else is doping, too, and so how can we win if we don't do it?" We need to do what's right, and not compromise. 2/2

The most difficult thing about #FOSS advocacy is that the alternative, proprietary software, uses its monopoly position to exploit its users, gaining massive resources by doing so. They then plow these ill-gotten gains into lobbying & marketing, influencing bureaucrats & decision makers. 1/2

Wow, I cringe when I see gov'ts using crappy proprietary services like Squarespace, Facebook, and Medium, when they could be honouring their citizens' & taxpayers' data (which they hold *in trust*) by running their own resources, within their country & jurisdiction, and using the tools provided by the Commons (#FOSS). We need more principled, adventurous gov't bureaucrats.

Seems typical of structurally broken bureaucratic models that, I suspect, have their analogues in every gov't worldwide. We need bureaucrats willing to admit the status quo is broken... https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/open-source-observatory-osor/news/barriers-acquisition

This is definitely on my to-do list of essential skills... https://www.outdoorrevival.com/news/whistling-loudly.html

Yes, software patents are a poisonous shitfest. They inherently suck in both theory and, even more intensely, practice. https://www.ip-watch.org/2013/04/22/german-parliament-sends-message-stop-granting-software-patents/ We've killed them on principle here in NZ: https://softwarepatents.org.nz - the rest of the world needs to follow suit.

In the end, of course, we were too busy to post much at #COEP19... was a cracking good meeting.

Participating in #COEP19, but rather than using Twitter, a proprietary centralised close network, I'm posting to a federated, decentralise open social network, Mastodon... And my post is pushed to Twitter too. You're welcome to join us: mastodon.nzoss.nz here in NZ, or mastodon.oeru.org if you'd like to use one focused on OER, and used by learners...

Regarding the leak of gun owner details, being blamed on SAP... er, I think our gov't is hiding behind "the supplier took the blame". But where does the responsibility lie? With the gov't. Not the contractor. Those sorts of excuses don't deserve sympathy or forgiveness from the people.